"It's very sad:" Just three days into the new year comes the first homicide in Milwaukee in 2016

Janackery Winston

MILWAUKEE -- Three days into the new year comes the first homicide of 2016 in Milwaukee. Police say a man was shot and killed near 6th and Wright late Sunday, January 3rd.

It happened around 11:05 p.m.

Police say a man, identified as 45-year-old Deondrick Byrd, was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.

"It`s sad though -- very sad," Janackery Winston, who was friends with the victim said.

Jerryrome Johnnies

With tears in his eyes, the victim's brother looked for clues at the scene of the crime on Monday.

A camera located at the corner of 6th and Wright may have some clues as to who killed the victim and why.

For now, those who knew and loved the man are trying to deal with their loss.

"He had a lot of love out here. He was an outstanding person. He had a good heart," Winston said.

"I can`t see how somebody can have hate in her hearts where they can just take someone else's life," Jerryrome Johnnies said.

Community center near 6th and Wright

Johnnies works at the community center at the corner of 6th and Wright. As someone who tries to empower those in Milwaukee, he's disheartened to see this deadly violence.

"It`s sad that somebody would have to die in the same place, and be the first homicide of the new year in the same spot where somebody else got killed," Johnnies said.

A memorial for a recent shooting victim still sits at the scene of this first homicide of 2016.

Just last week, Johnnies and others held a vigil for the 145 people who lost their lives to violence in Milwaukee in 2015.

Candles for Milwaukee's 145 homicide victims in 2015

"We had a memorial for all the people that died in Milwaukee. Tried to give a shoutout to the people that died last year so there won`t have to be that many this year," Johnnies said. "People need to have an open heart. If you know how another person would feel losing a loved one, maybe people wouldn`t be killing each other so quickly out here."

The circumstances surrounding this homicide remain unclear at this time.  Milwaukee police continue to seek a motive and search for suspect(s).