David Krause’s relatives say he trusted the city he had called home for about a decade.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — David Krause was trying to get home through a rainstorm after celebrating Milwaukee when police say teenagers offered him a ride, drove him a few blocks and joined an attempted robbery that ended with him fatally shot.
For Krause’s family, the case has become a story about trust as much as crime. The 35-year-old Lake Geneva native had lived in Milwaukee for about 10 years and was out on April 14, known locally as 414 Day. Relatives said he loved the city and believed in the people around him. Prosecutors now say that trust placed him inside a vehicle with teens who were part of a robbery attempt.
Krause’s final known call was to his girlfriend. Reports describing a juvenile petition say he had taken shelter at a gas station during severe weather and realized his keys were in her car. He told her he was “getting a ride from some kids.” The phrase has become a painful marker for the family because it showed no sign that he expected danger. Minutes later, according to investigators, Krause was running from the car toward a nearby bar.
Police said the shooting happened near South 1st Street and East Greenfield Avenue, close to Walker’s Point and the Harbor District. Surveillance video described in court records showed Krause leaving the vehicle after a short ride of about three blocks. Two teens chased him. A struggle followed near an alley, and one teen fired a gun. Krause was shot in the chest and died in the area. Officials have not said he knew the teens before they offered the ride.
Family members first pleaded publicly for answers after the killing. They described the attack as random and tied it to the storm that sent Krause looking for shelter. They also spoke about the shock of losing him on a day meant to celebrate Milwaukee. What had started as a night in the city became a homicide case involving juvenile suspects, police searches and court hearings that moved quickly as arrests followed.
Authorities arrested a 14-year-old boy first. At a detention hearing, prosecutors said he was part of the attempted robbery even if he was not accused of firing the fatal shot. His defense asked that he be released to his father with GPS monitoring, pointing to school attendance and arguing he did not pull the trigger. A juvenile court commissioner ordered him kept in secure detention. The commissioner said the allegations were violent and that release could endanger both the community and the teen.
Krause’s relatives pushed for detention. Kevin Krause told the court, “We are begging the court to keep this assailant in custody, to prevent him from committing other horrific crimes.” Diane Krause, David’s mother, said she worried for the community and hoped everyone involved would be turned in. Their comments placed the family’s grief directly into the early court process, where decisions about custody came before any trial or final finding of guilt.
More arrests and charges followed. Police took additional teenagers into custody, and local reports identified suspects as a 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. Later reporting said teen boys faced felony murder and attempted armed robbery or armed robbery counts, with one also facing an allegation tied to another offense. Public accounts were less clear on the charging status of the girl at different points. The lack of full names and complete case files is typical when suspects are juveniles.
The family’s frustration grew when one teen suspect was mistakenly released from the Milwaukee County Center for Youth. Authorities said the teen was later re-arrested. The error came after relatives had urged the court to keep suspects detained, making the release feel to them like another failure in a case already marked by loss. The mistake also raised questions about custody procedures in a high-profile juvenile homicide case.
Krause’s death has also drawn attention because of where and when it happened. April 14 is known as 414 Day because 414 is Milwaukee’s area code. The day is often used to celebrate local culture, neighborhoods and businesses. Krause’s family said he had been taking part in that celebration before heavy weather moved through. The killing shifted the meaning of the night for those who knew him, turning a local celebration into the date of his death.
The criminal allegations remain focused on an attempted robbery. Prosecutors have said the teens were trying to rob Krause when he ran and was shot. Under a felony murder theory, a defendant can face a murder charge when a death occurs during the commission or attempted commission of certain felonies. That means future hearings may examine not only who fired the weapon but who took part in the robbery attempt, who knew a gun was present and who chased Krause after he left the car.
Several key details remain unknown in public reporting. Officials have not released the full video, the complete evidence list or a final timeline of the minutes between the gas station and the alley. They have not said whether property was taken. They also have not fully explained how the teens came into contact with Krause or whether the ride offer was planned as part of a robbery from the start.
The case continues in juvenile court as Krause’s relatives wait for more answers. The public record now shows a fatal shooting, multiple teen suspects, an attempted robbery allegation and a family trying to keep attention on the man they lost rather than only on the court file.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.