The arrest of a 14-year-old brought movement in the case, but Krause’s relatives say major questions remain.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The family of David Krause says the fatal shooting that took his life during Milwaukee’s 414 Day celebrations has left them grieving, angry and still searching for answers, even after police arrested a 14-year-old in the case this week.
For Krause’s relatives, the story is not only about an arrest. It is about the loss of a man they say loved Milwaukee, trusted people easily and ended up dead after trying to escape rough weather on a night that was supposed to be festive. Police have said the investigation remains active and that other suspects may still be out there.
Krause, 35, was shot near 1st Street and Greenfield Avenue on April 14 at about 7:45 p.m. The area sits near Milwaukee’s Harbor District and Walker’s Point, neighborhoods known for restaurants, nightlife and steady traffic. Family members said Krause had spent the evening taking part in 414 Day, the citywide celebration linked to Milwaukee’s area code. As rain and storms moved in, they said, he tried to get out of the weather and asked for a ride home. His father, Kevin Krause, said that simple request ended in gunfire. The family’s account has shaped much of the public understanding of the case because police have released only limited details about the moments before the shooting.
Relatives say that gap has made the pain harder to process. Diane Krause, his mother, said the family received word that something had gone wrong and then had to face the reality that David had been killed. Kevin Krause said the randomness of it has been difficult to comprehend. Diane Krause also said the family was told David had gotten into someone’s car at a gas station on South 1st Street and West Mineral Street, a few blocks from where he was later found shot. That detail, reported by local television outlets, suggests investigators have been trying to piece together a short but critical timeline spanning only a few blocks. Still unknown are how many people were in that vehicle, what was said, and why the encounter turned deadly.
The family’s public comments have also built a portrait of Krause that reaches beyond the crime itself. They said he grew up in Lake Geneva, graduated from UW-Milwaukee and had lived in Milwaukee for more than 10 years. His sister, Ashley Krause, described him as someone who lit up a room and made friends easily. She said his trusting nature may have made him vulnerable. The family has repeatedly said he believed in the city and felt comfortable in neighborhoods like Walker’s Point. That history is part of why the killing has struck them as especially cruel: they say he was not moving through an unfamiliar place in fear, but through a city he considered home.
Police activity in the case has unfolded in stages. Authorities said a person of interest was taken into custody by April 15, one day after the shooting, but later said that person was not considered a suspect at that time. On April 22, police confirmed a 14-year-old boy had been arrested Monday in connection with Krause’s death. Even then, officers said they were still seeking additional known suspects. As of the latest public reporting, police had not detailed a motive or publicly laid out charges tied to the arrest. That leaves several procedural steps ahead, including any referral to prosecutors, a possible juvenile court filing or waiver request, and the release of a fuller court record if charges are filed.
For the family, those official next steps matter, but so do the quieter details of who Krause was. They remembered him as adventurous, musical and deeply social, a man who wakeboarded, snowboarded, rock-climbed and played drums. Those descriptions have given the case a human center at a moment when police language remains sparse. Diane Krause has said she wants the community David loved to help bring in more information. Her appeal has tied the investigation to a broader concern about public safety, especially if more than one person was involved and some have not yet been found.
The case stood Wednesday with one juvenile arrest, unanswered questions about what happened inside the final minutes of Krause’s life, and a family still waiting for police and prosecutors to explain what comes next.
Author note: Last updated April 23, 2026.