Desiree Brown (right) and Hercules Brown Sr. are still seeking answers about the death of their nephew and grandson, Antwon Springer.
It was supposed to be a celebration of life. However, as the night of Sept. 3, 2017 went on, the Brown family quickly realized they would never be the same.
On this particular night, the Brown family were celebrating the 83rd birthday of Hercules Brown Sr. at their quiet home in the Lincoln Creek neighborhood. Later that the night, a noisy disturbance and fight escalated on the street, leading the Brown family to call the police.
Antwon Springer, a 36-year-old Milwaukee man who was legally blind according to his family, stepped onto the front porch of the home, located near the intersection of N. 39th and W. Congress streets. Springer fired a gunshot into the air, to scare away attackers, who had since went after one of his cousins.
Following the gunshots, multiple police officers approached the home, ordering Springer to drop the gun, as his family apparently screamed “he’s blind, he’s blind!” Springer, who had lowered the gun but was still holding it in his hands, was shot multiple times by the police officers, dying on the family’s front porch.
It’s now nearly one year to the day of the shooting, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Springer’s family has received little more than an investigation report from the medical examiner.
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Antwon Springer was shot and killed by Milwaukee Police officers in front of his home on September 3, 2017. He left behind his two sons, Kyrie (left) and Jaquay.
“This was senseless, reckless and traumatizing,” said Desiree Brown, Springer’s aunt. “They killed my nephew and they let him die. They violated his human rights and his civil rights. There’s many things that are wrong with this.”
The investigation report released by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner said that Springer had been shot approximately 15-17 times. The report says, “the officers were believed to have been wearing their cameras.” The report also reads that the forensic investigator with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office was only allowed access to the crime scene after Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm took them for a walkthrough of the scene at an undisclosed time.
The Wauwatosa Police Department, the department that handled the investigation, turned the investigation over to the Milwaukee County District Attorney months ago. However, Lt. Jim Mastrocola of the Wauwatosa Police Department said two police officers involved in the shooting gave statements to their officers, as the case was presented to the District Attorney’s office again on June 18.
“All the officers on scene at the time of the shooting gave statements,” he said. However, the Medical Examiner’s investigation report says there were four officers “involved.”
The Milwaukee County District Attorney has not made a decision yet. Desiree Brown said she has contacted the District Attorney’s office multiple times as well but has received no response.
When asked about this, Kent Lovern, the Chief Deputy District Attorney, said “An attorney representing a family member currently charged with a crime related to the incident immediately preceding Mr. Springer’s death specifically requested that our office not contact the family of Mr. Springer until that criminal prosecution is concluded.” He also said that they have never refused to have a meeting with the family, and that they are willing to do so.
“It’s real confusing and very stressful,” said Brown. “I feel like we have been given the runaround.”
Springer did have a non-violent felony on his record—a felony that Brown said Springer received when he mistakenly bought a stolen car. She also said that Springer, who left behind two sons, had a learning disability and was receiving SSI.
The Brown family is planning on filing a formal complaint against the Milwaukee Police Department sometime next week. The Milwaukee Police Department was also contacted for this story, but a spokesperson said they have no additional information on the investigation at this time.
“We are looking for justice and prosecution for those officers,” Brown said. “To do all the right things and have no answers… it’s disbelief.”
