Austin Michael Owsley

Austin Michael Owsley was a 19-year-old White man from West Bend, Wisconsin, whose smile was said to light up a room. An alumnus of West Bend East High School, he loved being outdoors and was passionate about skateboarding, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, fishing, four-wheeling, and hiking. He was survived by his loving parents, siblings, and girlfriend.

On June 3, 2020, Austin was fatally shot in Milwaukee. According to authorities, the events that led to his death began with an alleged theft of $3,000 from a vehicle at Yahr Park. Police stated that Austin was then hunted down. The shooting occurred near Sherman Street and Locust Street.

The investigation by the Milwaukee Police Department led to the arrests of five individuals. Two men from West Bend, 20-year-old Tanzanna Roberts and 23-year-old Kasey Reich, were formally charged in connection with Austin’s death.

Roberts and Reich were charged with second-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime, with a dangerous weapon enhancer. The criminal complaint offered varied accounts of how the shooting happened, suggesting either that shots were fired or that a gun may have fallen from a vehicle and discharged when it hit the ground. The charges carry a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

As of June 2020, the cases for the three other individuals arrested in connection with the homicide were being reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office.