WIZM Top stories of 2015 – No. 1: Murder in the streets of La Crosse

A 17-year-old Central High murdered
after multiple gunshot wounds

A brutal killing winds up as one of our newsroom’s top stories of 2015.

George Miller, a 17 year-old high school student, was shot and killed on the streets of the La Crosse’s south side at the end of summer. He was confronted, chased down and shot multiple times while he lay on the ground.

It was a Friday morning in August. Police had a suspect right away – 18-year-old DeShawn Randall, who was a friend of Miller’s at one time.

Randall was captured hours later after a standoff near the shooting and remains in jail on murder and other charges related to shootings that had occurred in the days prior to Miller’s death.

The killing sparked a community conversation about violence and racial issues and led to a vigil in Powell Park which drew hundreds of visitors.