MILWAUKEE — On his first day leading Milwaukee's Office of Community Wellness and Safety, Adam Procell didn't start behind a desk. Instead, he walked through the neighborhood where, at just 15 years old, he fired the shots that killed 18-year-old Robert Bruce — a decision that left one family grieving and changed his life forever.
"This isn't a job, it's penance. God is first and foremost, and this is what I feel I owe to this community," said Procell.
Procell's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Milwaukee as the city continues to reckon with gun violence and reckless driving. Just this weekend, a 16-year-old was fatally shot near 12th and Concordia Avenue. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
According to Milwaukee police data, crime rates have decreased in all categories except for three: homicides, rapes, and human trafficking.
Watch: Convicted killer to lead Milwaukee's violence-prevention office: 'This isn't a job, it's penance'
At 44, Procell says every step in his old neighborhood is a reminder of a past he can't undo and a mission he refuses to abandon.
"It drives everything that I do. My lived experience puts me in a position to understand that culture of violence we've been speaking of," said Procell.
Since his release in 2018, Procell has led reentry programs and even helped shape Wisconsin law to create hope for the formerly incarcerated. Procell says four years in solitary confinement was his turning point.
"If you need your teeth fixed, you're not going to go to a mechanic. If we're focusing on understanding the culture of violence, I would argue you need someone who understands it intimately," said Procell.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson bypassed three national finalists to appoint Procell, a move that has sparked controversy. Critics question whether a convicted killer should lead the city's fight against violence.
"Reading the criticism, a lot of the things said online — I cried. Not necessarily because of what people were saying, but because all the worst things they wrote, I said those things to the mayor. For much of my adult life, I didn't feel like I deserved to be alive. I've been at war with myself. I made the most terrible decision a human being can make. But you been given another chance to prevent that same harm from happening, this is your reason why," said Procell.
Robert Bruce's father David Bruce has publicly written about forgiving Procell and praising his work to steer youth away from gangs. He posed this question to TMJ4 by phone: Who better to talk to these kids than someone who's been in their shoes?
"That's why I do this work. And to know he's in my corner, that means more than any voice out there," said Procell speaking about the suipport of David Bruce.
Procell says success in this new role isn't about numbers — it's about stopping the violence, mending relationships with community and police and investing in youth before violence begins. On day one, he carries both his past and the future of Milwaukee.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
