Relatives and neighbors gathered near Vel R. Phillips Ave. and Clarke St. days after the boy was killed.
MILWAUKEE — Family members and community leaders held a candlelight vigil Saturday to remember 10-year-old Zysean Owten, who police say died Tuesday night after an apparent accidental, self-inflicted gunshot in a home near Vel R. Phillips Ave. and W. Clarke St. Two adults were arrested on tentative child neglect charges as investigators review how the boy obtained a firearm.
The gathering came amid a grim yearlong toll in Milwaukee and put a name and face to the numbers often cited at city briefings. Police say the case remains active, with charging decisions pending at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The medical examiner is treating the shooting as accidental while detectives piece together the moments leading to the gunfire. For those at the vigil, the focus was the fifth-grader remembered as outgoing and talkative, even as officials worked through the legal process that could follow for the adults taken into custody.
People bundled against the wind as candles flickered along the block where relatives say the week had become a blur of hospital trips and phone calls. Speakers traded memories and brief prayers before a moment of silence. Evangelist Shonta Jackson, a family friend, urged the crowd to remember the boy’s humor and energy. “Let a memory of him bring light into a dark situation,” Jackson said, her voice carrying over traffic noise and the pop of camera flashes. Mourners said the family is planning a celebration of life while awaiting the release of funeral arrangements. A photo of Owten provided by relatives sat propped on a folding table next to flowers and handwritten cards.
Police have not said who owned the firearm or how it was stored. Investigators said the working theory is that Owten obtained a friend’s gun inside the residence and the shot struck him in the face. Emergency crews found him at the home Tuesday night and rushed him to Children’s Wisconsin, where he was pronounced dead. Milwaukee police said they arrested a 36-year-old man who lived at the home and a 46-year-old woman on tentative charges of child neglect resulting in death. Their names were not released pending a charging decision. A school board member who attended the vigil described the death as another loss in a year already marked by hundreds of homicides and nonfatal shootings, adding that each victim is “someone’s child, classmate or neighbor.”
Relatives described Owten as confident, chatty and quick to make friends, the kind of child who wanted to be famous and wasn’t shy about telling people. A minister attending the vigil said the family appreciated the crowd’s presence and the meals and rides that had arrived without prompting this week. “We were here to comfort each other,” Jackson said, standing with other supporters. People brought hot chocolate in a large thermos and passed out votive candles with paper drip guards. As temperatures dropped, the crowd sang a hymn and released a brief cheer using the boy’s nickname before dispersing in small groups.
Those at the vigil said the timing added to their grief. Hours before the event, community groups had planned to recognize lives lost this year citywide, with candles representing each person. Organizers added one more flame for Owten, noting the number will continue to change as cases are confirmed by the medical examiner. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said the death is under review but being treated as an accidental shooting for investigative purposes. Police officials said detectives will submit their findings to prosecutors after completing interviews and evidence work, including firearm tracing, scene analysis and a review of any available video.
Milwaukee police said they expect the district attorney to review the case early this week. If charges are filed, initial court appearances could follow within days, standard for cases involving neglect resulting in death. Officials said any decisions may include whether safe-storage laws or other statutes apply based on where the gun came from, who had access to it and whether children were present. The department said it will release additional information once charges are announced. Funeral plans were still being finalized Saturday night, with relatives saying they hope to announce details after meeting with a funeral home.
As candles burned low, a speaker thanked neighbors for allowing the crowd to gather on the sidewalk and offered a short closing prayer. People hugged the boy’s mother, who did not speak publicly, as volunteers collected wax cups and bagged trash. A few relatives took turns holding the framed photo before placing it in a car. “This is our call to action,” said a Milwaukee Public Schools board member who addressed the group. “We can make a decision that this time next year, this narrative will be different.”
As of late Saturday, police said the investigation was ongoing and the district attorney’s review was pending. The next expected update is a charging decision, which could come as soon as this week. Funeral details will be announced by the family when arrangements are confirmed.
Author note: Last updated December 16, 2025.