An argument over cutting in line for a food truck in downtown Appleton, Wisconsin, ended a young man’s life in the early hours of Christmas Eve. Elijah Dodson, a 22-year-old Black/African American male from Milwaukee, was fatally shot on December 24, 2023. The incident happened around 2:00 a.m. in the 100 block of South Walnut Street, where a dispute began after someone reportedly walked up behind a group of people, appearing to skip the line.
The argument quickly escalated into a physical fight involving several men. A worker inside the nearby Diablos Tacos Truck recalled hearing yelling and seeing a group of five or six men fighting. Moments later, he heard two gunshots. When police officers patrolling the area responded to the sounds, they found people fleeing the scene. First responders discovered Elijah Dodson with two gunshot wounds to his head.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Appleton Police Department investigators began a meticulous search for the person responsible. They reviewed traffic camera footage that captured parts of the fight and showed a man believed to be the shooter holding a gun, though the shooting itself was not recorded. The investigation led them to identify Elliot Campbell, a man from Racine, as the primary suspect. On January 13, 2024, nearly three weeks after the shooting, authorities arrested Campbell in Racine.
Campbell, who was 21 at the time, was extradited to Outagamie County and charged with first-degree intentional homicide. During his initial court appearance, a prosecutor described the shooting as "almost execution-style," and a judge set his bond at $1 million cash. Campbell pleaded not guilty, and the case proceeded through the court system for nearly three years.
In September 2026, Campbell, then 23, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree intentional homicide. The defense argued the circumstances involved "unnecessary defensive force." The plea allowed Campbell to avoid a mandatory life sentence tied to the original charge, instead facing a maximum of 60 years in prison. Following his plea, he was convicted of the reduced charge. As of September 2026, Campbell awaited his sentencing, which was scheduled for January 5, 2027.
