The victim in the Walker's Point shooting has been named -- Lodewikus "Vic" Milford.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A man killed in a rare robbery and shooting outside of a Walker's Point bar was Lodewikus "Vic" Milford, 43, the director of compensation and benefits for Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee police and the company said today.
Milford, a citizen of South Africa, had lived in Milwaukee since taking the Miller Brewing job in February 2005, said Miller Brewing spokesman Julian Green. He previously worked for Miller Brewing's parent company, SABMiller, since 2002, Green said.
"Vic was one of our best and brightest and will be remembered as a motivating presence whose generous spirit helped others realize their full potential," the company said in a statement.
According to police, Milford and two or three women had left a Walker's Point bar and were getting into his vehicle near S. 2nd and W. Walker streets about 1:10 a.m. Saturday. As they reached the car, they were approached by two men, one of whom was carrying a handgun. Milford handed over his wallet and was shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
...Milford is survived his parents, who are residents of Zimbawe, a sister in Australia and a man described as Milford's life partner, who lives in South Africa, according to the Miller statement.
Now we know who Milwaukee's 7th homicide of 2008 is.
He's no longer a statistic.
Milford sounds like he was an extremely talented and generous man.
What a terrible loss! How senseless!
His family, friends, and coworkers are in my prayers.
...The corporate owners of Miller Brewing Co. and Coors Brewing Co. announced Dec. 21 they had signed an agreement to combine the two brewers into MillerCoors.
Milwaukee-based Miller and Golden, Colo.-based Coors have said they won't comment on where the joint venture's corporate headquarters might be located until after the proposed merger gets antitrust approval from the U.S. Department of Justice. That could come later this year.
Asked about the headquarters question, Green said: "Out of respect for the family, our attention at this time is caring for those affected by this tragedy."
Now is hardly the time to be asking about the headquarters question.
Good grief.
7 comments:
As a personal friend of the victim, I am appalled at the Journal Sentinel's treatment of the case. They have reflected entirely on whether or not Miller will be effected by the murder. Who cares about a stupid merger, when a man is dead?
I too am a personal friend of Vic and Chris for over 12 years...and it I am disgusted by the comments about the Miller future performance because of the loss of Vic...Mileer has enough money in the bank...care about the human who worked for you and supported you business....think about his parents, sister and life partner as well as his friends that are all mourning the loss of a great person!!! STOP THINKING ABOUT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT MILLER...YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!
The senseless acts in this community and others has got to be stopped. It's obvious that this is drug related. Why can't we spend our government money on helping in the war against drugs, and helping drug addicts, instead of the war in Iraq?
Also, the fact that our country doesn't even recognize Vic and Chris's partnership is absurd. Chris should have been able to be in this country just like any married couple. Chris was robbed of being with his partner and now will never see him again. It's pathetic.
I don't beleive that Miller was talking about their future -- they deflected the tactless question made by a reporter and said they were thinking about Vic and his family.
I'm sorry for your loss, but your disgust should be directed at the Sentinel and not Miller.
My prayers go out to the friends of Mr. Milford.
Because of the Miller merger and the concerns of businesses in the Walker's Point area, I'm afraid that the focus is being shifted from the death of a human being to economic matters.
To be fair, I agree that Green's statement was appropriate.
It was crass for the reporter to ask about the headquarters.
I think the lack of sensitivity shown to those mourning Mr. Milford's death is awful.
Wisconsin’s number of gay couples grew from 8,232 in 2000 to 14,894 in 2005, according to a study by the Williams Institute. This 81 percent increase ranked Wisconsin second in the nation in such growth, just behind New Hampshire. Milford moved here from South Africa for his job at MillerCoors in 2005. In November of 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa—and the fifth country in the world—to legalize gay marriage. That same month, sadly, Wisconsin passed the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment.
I keep thinking about if I was Milford's partner. I could have married him in my home town and there he was - thousands of miles away. If we had laws that reflected a more fair state of equality the articles would have been talking about how he was survived by his long-term spouse. So sad.
I really don't follow what you're saying.
I don't see what comfort it would bring by being referred to in articles as a "long-term spouse."
I would think a constitutional amendment would be the last thing on my mind if my partner had been murdered.
Vic Milford's partner certainly has my sympathy at this difficult time.
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