Oak Creek police say a weeks-long homicide probe has led to an arrest in a December shooting that left a 22-year-old man dead in an apartment complex parking lot. Detectives executed a series of search warrants on Jan. 23 and took a 29-year-old Milwaukee man into custody in connection with the Dec. 23 killing, and they say the case is very much still unfolding.
Search warrants lead to arrest
In a Facebook post, the Oak Creek Police Department said investigators carried out multiple search warrants on Jan. 23, during which a 29-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested. The department noted that the investigation remains active and said officers are standing with the victim's family as they continue to chase down leads.
Milwaukee County prosecutors have charged 29-year-old London Johnson of Milwaukee with first‑degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime, according to CBS 58, which reviewed a criminal complaint. The complaint cited by the station alleges surveillance video and cellphone data place Johnson with the suspect vehicle before, during and after the shooting, and authorities say he was arrested Jan. 23.
What happened on Dec. 23
Officers were dispatched just after 8 a.m. on Dec. 23 to the College Court Apartments near South 20th Street and West College Avenue after multiple 911 callers reported gunfire. Police found a man in a white GMC Acadia suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner later identified the victim as 22‑year‑old Luis Ares, as reported by WTMJ.
Neighbors told reporters they heard a burst of shots and described what sounded like a chase between two vehicles just before the shooting, according to WISN 12. Investigators locked down the parking lot, collected shell casings and other evidence, and canvassed the area for anyone who saw or recorded what happened.
Charges and court timeline
The criminal complaint alleges there was gunfire between two vehicles and lists surveillance footage and cellphone data among the key evidence, CBS 58 reported. The station also said Johnson's initial appearance in court was scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 28.
First‑degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony under Wisconsin law and can carry a life sentence, and a "party to a crime" theory can expose accomplices to the same potential punishment, legal resources note. See FindLaw for statutory detail.
Police ask for tips
In its Facebook post, the Oak Creek Police Department urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact Detective Ben Lockwood at 414‑766‑7627 or call the Oak Creek Crime Stoppers tip line. Investigators say the arrest and search warrants are only part of a broader effort to understand everyone involved and encouraged anyone with video, photos or eyewitness information to come forward.
Police said they will keep working with Milwaukee County prosecutors as the case moves through the court system, and they stressed that members of the public should not attempt to confront or detain anyone they believe might be connected to the crime. Officials declined to release further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
