Milwaukee, Wisconsin — A 16-year-old Milwaukee student was fatally shot just seconds after stepping off a county bus following an alleged heated argument with another teenager, according to prosecutors and a criminal complaint.
Police responded to reports of a shooting in Milwaukee shortly before 5 p.m. on Sept. 19 and found 16-year-old Camron Bowen lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.
Prosecutors have charged 15-year-old Robbiel Stokes with first-degree intentional homicide and issued a warrant for his arrest. Stokes remains at large.
Argument Reportedly Happened on County Bus
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage captured the two teenagers aboard a county bus shortly before the shooting.
Camron was reportedly standing behind Stokes as the two had what prosecutors described as a “heated” conversation.
The bus driver told investigators that he believed both teenagers had boarded at the same stop and sat near each other toward the back of the bus.
When the driver stopped to let passengers off, both teenagers exited the bus at the same time.
The driver was still allowing passengers to leave when he heard gunshots.
He told police that he saw Camron running away from Stokes, who was allegedly holding a “silver pistol.”
Prosecutors Say Shooting Happened 6 Seconds Later
The criminal complaint describes a rapid sequence of events after the teenagers left the bus.
Police said surveillance footage showed that just six seconds after both boys got off the bus, Stokes allegedly pulled a handgun from his hoodie while Camron’s back was turned.
According to investigators, Stokes “immediately start[ed] to fire the handgun” at Camron.
Camron reportedly ran in front of the bus in an attempt to escape.
The bus driver told investigators that Stokes then “caught up” to Camron and allegedly “shot him several times.”
The driver said Stokes appeared to look at Camron briefly before running away from the scene.
Camron collapsed in the middle of the road, where investigators said he appeared to have died.
The driver then contacted dispatchers and reported the shooting.
Police Say Evidence Linked Suspect to Shooting
Investigators later spoke with Stokes’ mother, who told police that her son called her around 4:57 p.m. asking her to pick him up.
She said she found him on the street, soaking wet from the rain, before taking him to his grandmother’s house.
According to the complaint, police showed Stokes’ mother two images connected to the shooting. She allegedly identified her son as the person shown.
Police searched her vehicle after receiving her consent and found a Federal .40-caliber Smith & Wesson cartridge on the floor of the back seat.
Investigators said the cartridge was the same brand and caliber as the ammunition casings recovered at the shooting scene.
The discovery became part of the evidence prosecutors cited in the case.
School Principal Described Earlier Fight
Investigators also spoke with the principal of the school attended by both teenagers.
According to the criminal complaint, the principal told police that Camron and Stokes had fought three days before the fatal shooting.
The complaint does not establish from that information alone what caused the earlier fight or whether it was directly connected to the confrontation on the bus.
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Prosecutors have nevertheless charged Stokes with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with Camron’s death.
Family Wants Suspect Caught
A warrant for Stokes’ arrest was issued Friday, and the 15-year-old remains at large.
Camron’s mother, Jennifer Cassidy, spoke with a local news outlet about the case and said she was relieved that investigators had identified a suspect but remained deeply concerned that he had not yet been captured.
Cassidy said:
“I’m happy that I know who it is. I’m happy that I know it was exactly what I suspected. It is just hard because he is not caught yet. I just don’t want this happening to anybody else.”
Camron had turned 16 just one week before he was killed.
The investigation remains active as authorities continue their efforts to locate Stokes and determine the full circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting.
What do you think about this tragic case? Share your thoughts in the comments, and let us know what questions you think investigators should answer as the search for the suspect continues.
