A petty theft of snack treat resulted in the death of a father of two in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this month, his family says.
The Aug. 16 incident occurred outside of a convenience store where 29-year-old Isaiah Allen was gunned down by a security guard. Witnesses say Allen was shoplifting a package of 25-cent cupcakes when he was shot twice as he made it outside. Police have charged 56-year-old William Pinkins, a felon who had served time for a 1989 slaying, with murder in Allen’s death.
Local station CBS58 reports that video shows Pinkins had been sitting in the back of the store when he rushed out after Allen as he left the Clark gas station with a box of Little Debbie cakes without paying. The CBS affiliate describes Pinkins as raising his gun and shooting Allen in the head from just a few feet away, then calmly smoking a cigarette and waiting for police to arrive.
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WISN 12 reached out to the owner of the Clark gas station, who refused to comment on the issue. However, employees there that day claimed that the security guard didn’t even work for them and was acting independently. Allen’s family members, who live in the area, claim that the shooter works at the station unofficially.
The community has been up in arms about the incident since it happened. Some have even called for the gas station to be shut down.
“We want an emergency hearing that their license revoked. We don’t want them in our community,” said community activist Sedan Smith at the vigil on Wednesday. “We don’t need their services, especially if they’re going to hire people that’s going to hurt us.”
Allen’s family, as well as other members of the community, have gone as far as blocking off pumps throughout the day as a form of protest against the gas station, feeling more outraged at the fact that the gas station resumed regular business hours shortly after the slaying.
“It’s sad,” said Allen’s father, Troy Allen. “It’s tragic, but the sad part about it is how they just washed his blood off and then re-opened up like nothing had happened. Like, that’s what hurts me, like nothing happened.”
Milwaukee Police allowed Pinkins to leave the scene on the day of the shooting, but two days later on Friday, Aug. 18, they announced his arrest.
