Jeremy J. Hollins was a man with a multifaceted nature, remembered by his younger brother as both intellectually curious and deeply kind. The two would engage in long conversations about history, Greek mythology, and political figures like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. This thoughtful side was one that many people may not have known. His brother, Bryan, also recalled a simple, profound act of generosity one cold winter day when Jeremy, without hesitation, gave his own peacoat to a young boy shivering at a bus stop in only a thin windbreaker. Though he had a past that included a conviction for armed robbery, Jeremy was also a man who showed compassion for strangers.
The life of Jeremy J. Hollins, a 28-year-old Black man, was cut short on a late Saturday night in a year that saw a tragic spike in violence across Milwaukee. On May 23, 2015, just after 11:30 p.m., Hollins was at a residence in the city's Halyard Park neighborhood. He received a phone call and stepped outside the house, into the 700 block of West Reservoir Avenue. Moments later, the sound of gunfire broke the quiet of the evening. When Milwaukee Police Department officers arrived, they found Hollins suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting happened during a particularly violent period for the city. In 2015, Milwaukee experienced 145 homicides, a significant increase from the 86 recorded the previous year and the highest total the city had seen since 1993. Hollins became one of many victims whose death contributed to this grim statistic, leaving a family shattered and a community grappling with the pervasive issue of gun violence. The neighborhood where he was killed, a residential area just north of downtown, became another scene in a year marked by loss.
The initial investigation into Jeremy Hollins's death was handled by the Milwaukee Police Department. Detectives sought to piece together the events leading up to the shooting, but information about a motive or potential suspects was not released to the public. The detail that he was seemingly lured outside by a phone call remains a haunting and pivotal element of the case, suggesting the killing was not a random act of violence. Despite the investigation, no arrests have ever been announced, and no persons of interest have been publicly identified.
The loss was devastating for his family. His brother Bryan, who was 26 at the time, was left to reflect not only on the personal loss of his brother but also on the state of their community. Frustrated and angry with what he described as a "broken system," he contemplated leaving the city where he and his brother had grown up. The grief and the search for answers weighed heavily on those who knew and loved Jeremy.
As of January 2016, the Milwaukee Police Department was still actively searching for the person or persons responsible for Jeremy Hollins's murder. Years have passed since then, and his case has grown cold, with no publicly available updates on the investigation. The questions of who called him outside that night and why he was killed remain unanswered. His death is a lingering wound for his family and a stark reminder of the unsolved homicides that continue to haunt the city. Anyone with information about the homicide of Jeremy J. Hollins is encouraged to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 935-7360. Callers can remain anonymous.
