Late Tuesday night, in the quiet stretch of north Milwaukee near 39th Street and West Lancaster Avenue, 26-year-old Ariel Spillner was found shot and killed, police say. The tragedy unfolded just short of 10 p.m., when officers responded to a double-shooting and discovered she had died at the scene.
According to the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), a 31-year-old woman was also shot during the incident and remains hospitalized, but is expected to survive. The same woman was taken into custody and is now considered the primary suspect in the case. The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing criminal charges.
Ariel — originally from Arena and connected to the DeForest region — was more than just a shooting victim. She was one year away from completing her studies at the Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy and had big dreams: she wanted to become a pharmacist, move to Florida, and spend her life helping others. Those who knew her say she was generous, kind, and always ready with a smile or a laugh.
Friends and family gathered at Concordia’s campus this week, heartbroken and bewildered. Her older sister recalled speaking to Ariel at 8 p.m. that night — she was her usual vibrant self, joking, planning. Just hours later, her life was gone. “We told each other we loved each other when we hung up the phone,” she said, “and this time it’s just a little more special.”
Neighbors described a chaotic scene nearby: one witness said they heard arguing, screaming, then a “big boom.” Crime-tape and detectives surrounded the block deep into the night. The motive remains unclear. Investigators say they are not seeking additional suspects, but much is still under investigation.
In an official statement, Concordia University acknowledged Ariel’s passing and offered counseling and pastoral care to students and faculty who are grieving. “Our community is deeply saddened… Our hearts and prayers are with Ariel’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved her,” the school said.
As this case moves toward potential criminal charges, the void left by Ariel’s departure is deeply felt. Her peers describe her as an “incredible person who was taken way too soon” — someone who had so much more life to live, so much more good to give. While the legal process continues and investigators piece together what happened that night, those who loved Ariel are left with grief, the memory of her bright smile, and the unanswered question of why this happened.