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A US Postal Service employee, Aundre Cross, was fatally shot on Friday, December 9, 2022, while delivering mail on North 65th Street in Milwaukee.
The US Postal Inspection Service has now declared an amount of up to $50,000 to be awarded to anyone who can provide more information regarding the homicide. Authorities have not yet revealed the motive behind the shooting.
The agency refused to speak about the tragic incident at this point, and has mentioned that they are cooperating with the Milwaukee Police in the investigation. So far, police have only been able to identify a silver vehicle as belonging to the suspect.
Friends and co-workers open up about Aundre Cross, the victim of the Milwaukee shooting
On Friday, December 9, 2022, 44-year-old postal service worker Aundre Cross was delivering mail on the northern side of Milwaukee. At 4:38 pm, while he was in the 5000 block of North 65th Street, Cross was shot to death.
Police have identified a silver Audi Q5 SUV as the suspect's vehicle, and have urged people to look out for the car. No individual suspect has been identified yet. Authorities have not released the exact motive behind the fatal shooting.
In response to the shooting, Mayor Cavalier Johnson stated:
“The shooting death of a Milwaukee postal worker is alarming. My thoughts are with the victim's family and colleagues. The postal worker in this homicide was a public servant, which makes this crime even more disturbing.”
Aundre Cross had been working at the postal agency for 18 long years. Speaking about the incident, his former co-worker Tia R. told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
“If you know your mail carrier's out there, your delivery driver's outside, just make sure they make it to their truck, and they go home safely. That's all we want to do, is go home at the end of the night.”
Tia further added that he was a "mentor to everybody" and did not allow anyone to leave any situation "without a smile on their face."
Cross' co-worker Melissa Carter said:
“Aundre came to work every day with a smile on his face. If you were sad, he was going to make sure gonna get a smile. He's going to make you laugh every day.”
Another friend and co-worker of Cross, Jyfena Brown stated:
“If you had a bad morning, he could come in loud, joyful, and change your whole mood. Forget what you were even upset about. He was a good person. [He has] three beautiful kids, and a wife. Imagine how they feel, two weeks before Christmas.”
Jyfena added that being a postal mail worker in Milwaukee has become scary.
Following the incident, safety concerns for postal workers have also been raised. Cross' former colleague Tia R. said:
“We've been working longer hours and mail volume has increased. I know the post office wants to be efficient, but I had to separate myself. I know a few other people who have left for similar reasons. We shouldn't be out there when it's dark; it's not safe.”
Michelle Pitts, the owner of New Pitts Mortuary, where Cross used to work previously, agreed to the concerns related to postal workers, adding that there had been times when Pitts had advised Cross to be cautious while delivering mails.
Friends and family mourn the postal service employee’s demise
Video footage of the shooting from a nearby house captured the sound of a single gunshot. A person is then seen running towards a silver car, which starts moving as soon as the individual gets near it. Along with the Milwaukee police dept., USPIS, and the FBI are also assisting in the search for the culprit.
Darius Holmes, a co-worker of Aundre Cross informed that Andre was a father of four.
Netizens on various social media platforms, including Twitter, have expressed their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased postal mail worker.
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, several mail workers gathered at the shooting scene to mourn the loss of Aundre Cross. Several vigils including a balloon release and forming prayer circles have been organized in remembrance of Aundre.
The case is currently under investigation. Police are trying to identify the suspect. As of Sunday afternoon, the authorities are not known to have made any arrests.
