MILWAUKEE — In a decades-long career in the postal business, Ron Kania never had to deal with the shooting and killing of a letter carrier until last Friday.
"He was quite the guy. He was well-liked by many. Always something funny to say to somebody," said Kania of Aundre Cross. "Obviously shocked. Everybody was shocked."
Cross was shot to death on Friday around 6 p.m. while working his mail route near 65th and Lancaster. As of Monday afternoon, people said they're still searching for a vehicle and suspect involved in the crime.
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Kania, the president of Milwaukee Branch 2 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said a death on the job is rare. But the work, he said, is often far from safe.
He said almost every week, it seems a mail carrier is assaulted and robbed or both.
“It’s definitely more dangerous. I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know how to stop it. It’s definitely more dangerous than what it was," said Kania.
According to USPIS, there were three carrier homicides from 2019 through last year.
Milwaukee police have not yet commented on any potential motive in last Friday's killing of Cross.
The letter carrier, husband, and father of four was beloved by those who knew him on and off the job. A memorial near where he died has grown by the day. And there's been a steady flow of people passing by to pay their respects.
“He was one of the greatest men you ever wanted to meet him. I used to always say 'Hi mailman, you have anything for me? [And he would say] I have something for you Ms. Williams.' So he’s going to be truly missed," said Leshel Wiliams, who was visiting the memorial for a second time.
Cross delivered Williams' mail years ago. That was before pandemic-driven staffing issues led to longer hours and more hours after dark, according to Kania.
“The problem with the dark is, you lose your reaction time. Whether it’s walking on ice or seeing a dog coming by, or some bad actor trying to come towards you to do something bad to you. You lose that reaction time because you don’t see far enough away," he said.
Kania would like to see full staff and eight to nine-hour daylight shifts only, but he's not sure when or if that will happen.
"Most people really, really love their mail carrier. We are a likable group. We are an extremely diverse group. And I always tell people, you got a group of letter carriers together we could solve all the world's problems because we come from different walks of life."
