MILWAUKEE (AP) – The Milwaukee Common Council unanimously voted to revoke the business licenses for a gas station where a worker allegedly shot and killed Isaiah Allen in August. The decision comes after Allen’s family spent more than 50 days protesting outside the gas station and collecting over 4,000 petition signatures in an effort to shut down the business.

“The community can come together and things can change if we just stick together and focus on one goal,” said Natalie Easter Allen, Isaiah Allen’s mother. “We can make a difference.”

The gas station’s owner, Gurinder Nagra, did not attend the Common Council meeting, and his attorney did not provide immediate comment regarding any plans to appeal the decision. Allen, 29, was fatally shot on August 16 after taking some snack cakes from the store. The worker, William Pinkin, 56, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and pleaded not guilty. Pinkin had a prior homicide conviction in 1989.

During a meeting with the city’s Licenses Committee in September, Nagra admitted to hiring Pinkin without conducting a background check. Concerns about safety had been building up at the gas station prior to the shooting, with multiple incidents of shootings, robberies, and batteries reported since 2021. The police had categorized it as a nuisance property earlier this year, and city officials had previously warned Nagra about the need for better security and averting gun-related incidents.

Nagra, who owns four other gas stations in Milwaukee, may still appeal the decision. However, Easter Allen stated that she is prepared to continue protesting outside the business to discourage the owner from pursuing an appeal, and she emphasized the importance of holding someone responsible for her son’s death in court.

In conclusion, the Milwaukee Common Council voted to revoke the business licenses for a gas station where Isaiah Allen was shot and killed by a worker. The decision follows a prolonged period of protests and petition collection by Allen’s family. The gas station’s owner, Gurinder Nagra, did not attend the council meeting, and the worker responsible for the shooting, William Pinkin, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Prior to the shooting, safety concerns had been escalating at the gas station, prompting the city to categorize it as a nuisance property. It remains to be seen whether Nagra will appeal the decision. Easter Allen, Isaiah Allen’s mother, expressed her determination to continue protesting and seeking justice for her son.