MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Harry Bruce, a 56-year-old special education teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, died Thursday evening after he was beaten near 12th and Walnut in Milwaukee, and a 22-year-old man is now in custody, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.
Investigators placed the attack a little after 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5. Bruce died where he was found. Police have not explained what set off the beating, and detectives are still working to piece together what happened in the moments before it.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office will review the case and decide what charges, if any, the 22-year-old will face. Police have not publicly named him.
Milwaukee Public Schools said Bruce had spent more than a decade at Roosevelt. The district described him as a pillar of the school community, and said his work there went well past the classroom: he was also a football coach, a tutor and a mentor to students.
The district sent its Crisis Response Team to Roosevelt after his death so counselors could be on hand for students and staff who needed support. School leaders said the loss could be especially hard on students who knew Bruce well.
The killing happened near downtown Milwaukee on a weekday evening. Anyone who saw what happened at 12th and Walnut on Thursday, or who has video from the area, is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department.
The investigation remains open while the district attorney weighs the case, and police have not said whether anyone else was involved in the attack.
Section: More Milwaukee WI crime news
Filed under: Milwaukee WI Crime News
