Tyren E. Black, a 36-year-old Black man remembered for his kindness, was shot and killed in a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on a Milwaukee sidewalk on Tuesday, May 25, 2010. His death left a void in the lives of his loved ones, and more than a decade later, his case remains unsolved.
Those who knew Tyren, or "Ty," recall him as a "nice cool brother" who would be missed by many. In the days following his death, one friend shared a memory of his kindness toward her and her children, a simple testament to his character. Another remembered working with him in years past. His family, including his many brothers and sisters, was left heartbroken by the sudden and violent loss. A funeral service was held for Tyren on Thursday, June 3, 2010, at the Jeremiah Missionary Baptist Church on West Villard Avenue, followed by his interment at Graceland Cemetery.
The day he was killed, Tyren was walking on the sidewalk in the 2100 block of West Fond du Lac Avenue around 12:30 p.m. The area, part of the city's North Side, is a busy thoroughfare. Without warning, a vehicle drove past, and an unknown person leaned out and opened fire. Tyren was struck by the gunfire. When Milwaukee Police Department officers arrived at the scene, they found him fatally wounded.
The investigation began immediately, with police treating the homicide as a drive-by shooting. The day after the killing, investigators announced they were searching for a white Chevrolet Impala in connection with the crime. They also indicated that the shooting might have been related to a drug deal, though no further details were released to substantiate that possibility. In the immediate aftermath, no arrests were made, and no suspects were publicly identified.
The Milwaukee Police Department's Cold Case Unit, now part of the Homicide Division, is tasked with pursuing justice in cases like Tyren's. The unit, which has a history of re-examining evidence as technology advances, is the point of contact for any new information. The detectives assigned to these lingering cases work to bring closure to families who have waited years, and sometimes decades, for answers.
As of today, Tyren Black's murder is one of dozens of unsolved homicides from 2010 in Milwaukee. By the end of that year, his name was included in a list published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of the city's unsolved killings, a stark reminder of the families still waiting for justice. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been named publicly, and the white Impala sought in the initial investigation was never reported as found. The questions of who targeted Tyren Black and why remain unanswered.
The case is now in the hands of the Milwaukee Police Department's Cold Case Homicide detectives. Anyone with information about the shooting of Tyren Black is urged to contact the unit at 414-935-7360.
