A 19-year-old Wisconsin man, Djuan Eskridge, has been apprehended after several months of evading law enforcement. Eskridge is accused of fatally shooting his father, William J. Eskridge, 31 times in October last year. He was arrested on Wednesday and is facing charges of first-degree reckless homicide and the use of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a felony, according to court documents.
The Milwaukee Police Department responded to a shooting report at a residence on N. 7th Street in Milwaukee on October 9, 2023. Upon arrival, officers found an adult male, later identified as William Eskridge, dead on the scene. The area around the body was littered with spent shell casings.
The police first interviewed Djuan Eskridge’s grandmother, who identified the victim as her son. She alleged that her grandson, Djuan, was the one who shot him. She recounted that Djuan and his brother, along with two unknown individuals, had visited the house earlier that evening. A physical altercation ensued between Djuan’s brother and William Eskridge, during which Djuan allegedly produced a firearm and shot his father multiple times. The grandmother confirmed that William Eskridge was unarmed during the incident.
Following the initial gunfire, William Eskridge fell to the ground. The grandmother stated that Djuan then approached his father and fired additional rounds at him. An autopsy later revealed that William Eskridge had sustained a total of 31 gunshot wounds to various parts of his body, including his head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, back, buttocks, upper and lower extremities. These injuries resulted in perforations to his lungs, heart, aorta, and small and large intestines, leading to his death.
The police obtained surveillance footage that allegedly showed parts of the shooting. The video reportedly shows Djuan Eskridge, identifiable by his black sneakers, pulling out a gun and shooting his father. He then allegedly approached his father again and continued shooting before fleeing the scene on foot.
In the aftermath of the killing, William Eskridge’s aunt, Rosalind Jackson, spoke out, expressing the family’s desire for justice. She condemned the act, stating that regardless of the circumstances, there was no justification for such a brutal act. She also expressed her grief over the devastating impact of the incident on the family.
Jackson had previously suggested that Djuan Eskridge was angry with his grandmother for evicting him from her house and had threatened her. His father had intervened, which may have led to the fatal confrontation. Djuan Eskridge made his initial court appearance on Thursday, where his bond was set at $200,000.