What we know about the shooting death of US Postal Service employee Aundre Cross on Milwaukee's north side

The shooting death of a U.S. mail carrier in Milwaukee has prompted an outpouring of grief and reaction from local leaders and residents alike.

The victim in the shooting, 44-year-old Aundre Cross, has been remembered online by family, coworkers, public officials and friends as a hardworking, dependable and fun-loving public servant, father and husband.

On Dec. 28, three people were charged in relation to Cross' death.

Here is what we know about the incident:

Who is Aundre Cross?

Cross worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 18 years and worked out of post stations at 6501 W. Fond du Lac Ave. and 2656 N. Teutonia Ave., according to a former coworker who only wanted to be identified as Tia R.

Cross was described by his coworker and by others on social media as a devout man who enjoyed singing gospel music and making others smile.

"He was a mentor to everybody," said co-worker, Tia R. "He was always ready with a prayer, a joke or a story. He never let anybody leave (any situation) without a smile on their face."

Is anyone in custody/charged?

Yes. Three people were charged on Dec. 28 in relation to Cross' death and a fourth person was charged Jan. 19.

In December, prosecutors alleged that two men, Kevin McCaa, 36, and Charles Ducksworth Jr., 26, killed Cross or aided and abetted in his death. Shanelle McCoy, 34, was also charged with providing false statements to law enforcement.

In January, a fourth person was charged: Lakisha Ducksworth, 38. She has also been accused of providing false statements.

McCaa and Charles Ducksworth are in custody. McCoy and Lakisha Ducksworth were not in custody as of Jan. 18, according to court records.

What happened during the incident?

According to the criminal complaint:

Cross was shot at 4:38 p.m. Dec. 9 on the 5000 block of North 65th Street, on Milwaukee’s northwest side.

The suspects in the shooting began conducting surveillance on Cross around 4 p.m. Surveillance footage from nearby residences show the suspected vehicle, a silver Audi Q5 SUV, traveling though multiple streets and alleys around Cross' location.

At 4:37 p.m., a suspect (who is not identified) is seen on video walking through a yard toward Cross' location.

A minute later, a single gunshot can be heard on the video footage. The same suspect seen walking is then seen running through the same yard in the direction of the Audi.

A couple minutes following the gunshot, the Audi is spotted on video on the southside of the pedestrian bridge on West Parkway Drive. A gun that matched the casing from the murder was found in the creek near that location on Dec. 19.

Later that night, McCaa and Charles Ducksworth were spotted on video at a gas station with the Audi.

What happened in the days that followed Cross' murder?

According to the criminal complaint:

Three days after Cross' murder, police discovered the Audi at a residence on Milwaukee's northwest side. The registration and plates for the vehicle were matched to McCoy, who initially told officers that she was in possession of the Audi the day of Cross' death because she was making deliveries for DoorDash.

Surveillance footage shows McCoy making deliveries in a different vehicle at the time of Cross' murder.

On Dec. 15, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the Audi and found prints matching McCaa.

Law enforcement executed search warrants at five residences on Dec. 27 in Milwaukee and arrested McCaa, Charles Ducksworth, and McCoy.

From one residence where McCaa and McCoy were arrested, two glock magazines and several rounds of ammunition were recovered.

When arresting Charles Ducksworth, law enforcement discovered a Glock 9mm handgun with a drum magazine and a large quantity of marijuana, which was believed to be for distribution.

Prosecutors also allege that Lakisha Ducksworth had video footage from a home surveillance system of Cross dropping off mail at her residence and lied when she told investigators she did not send that footage to Charles Ducksworth on Dec. 6, three days before the shooting.

Have authorities identified a motive?

It is unclear from the complaint if the suspects had any relationship with Cross prior to his murder. The complaint does detail a missing package suspected of containing drugs that was in Cross’ possession but never delivered nor returned to a postal facility on Dec. 2 around 9 p.m.

The complaint stated that this “could indicate that a USPS employee retained the parcel or provided it to someone else outside of normal operations.” It did not share any more details about this, or how this and other packages mentioned in the complaint relate to the murder.

How local leaders reacted to the tragedy

It was the Mayor's Office that confirmed Cross' death with the Journal Sentinel on Dec. 9. In a statement Mayor Cavalier Johnson called the killing "alarming."

"My thoughts are with the victim's family and colleagues," Johnson said. "The postal worker in this homicide was a public servant, which makes this crime even more disturbing. Criminals responsible for death and harm in our city must be held accountable."

The alderman for the area where Cross' death occurred, Mark Chambers, said Cross was a "friendly, likeable, dependable and hardworking public servant who was just doing his job when he was gunned down."

"The murder has shaken the community and the close-knit group of USPS workers across the city who, like Mr. Cross, perform their duties quietly and diligently every day," said Chambers, who was just sworn into office in mid-November.

As a USPS employee, Cross was a member of the postal workers union, the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 2. The union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Wisconsin AFL-CIO president Stephanie Bloomingdale released a statement on Dec. 13.

“We are shocked and heartbroken by the on the job murder of our union brother Aundre Cross. ... Cross was a beloved husband, father, union member, and coworker who will be deeply missed. Workplace violence is a troubling and growing threat to working families. More must be done to ensure that every working person can come home safely at the end of each shift," Bloomingdale said.

How you can support Cross' family

Cross' family set up an online crowdsourcing page on MealTrain.com asking for donations for food and long-term support for his children. The webpage described Cross as “a hard-working and loving husband, father and minister.”

The webpage listed a fundraising goal of $50,000 and as of Dec. 29, it raised more than $8,800.

Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.