Stanley Smith Jr.

On the evening of May 5, 2024, Stanley Smith Jr., a 41-year-old Black/African American man, was killed during a violent confrontation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The incident unfolded around 6:30 p.m. in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Smith had been at the Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge on West North Avenue when an announcement was made, warning patrons that people were breaking into cars in the area.

Smith went to check on his own vehicle, a black SUV parked near the Taco Bell at 5630 W. North Ave. There, he intervened in an attempt to stop a theft. Witnesses reported seeing Smith struggling with several masked individuals near his SUV before shots were fired. He was shot four times, with two of the wounds to his head. Despite life-saving measures, Stanley Smith Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined the shooting was connected to an organized auto theft crew from Chicago that traveled to Milwaukee to steal high-end SUVs. According to prosecutors, the group routinely targeted expensive vehicles like Jeep SRTs and Trackhawks. The investigation involved multiple police departments, including law enforcement in Addison, Illinois, who were already surveilling some of the individuals in connection with other vehicle thefts.

In the weeks following the shooting, authorities arrested four men from Chicago. On May 21, a police chase through downtown Milwaukee ended with the arrests of 19-year-old Lamont Stanton, 18-year-old Correnthis Neal, and 17-year-old Tramaine Walton. A few days later, police tracked a cellphone to locate and apprehend the fourth suspect, 30-year-old Jovani Velazquez.

Prosecutors filed multiple charges against the four men for their alleged roles in the events that led to Smith's death. Lamont Stanton was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. Correnthis Neal, Tramaine Walton, and Jovani Velazquez were each charged with felony murder. All four men also face charges of attempted armed carjacking. As of May 2024, the case was proceeding through the court system.