MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police continue to look for an armed suspect, after a 59-year-old man from Milwaukee was severely beaten, robbed, and run over in his own car.
Timothy “Keys” Sellers was hospitalized with serious injuries following the early morning incident on October 1st outside Warren’s Lounge near N. 26th Street and W. Hopkins Street on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
Video surveillance of the attack
Surveillance footage obtained by WTMJ shows Sellers’ white SUV outside the establishment before it is driven away just after midnight.
Sellers told WTMJ he was attacked near his vehicle before it was taken. He says a man struck him with a gun, including blows to his face.
In the surveillance footage, Sellers (marked in red in the upper right side) was approaching his car when he was attacked by the suspect (marked in red in the lower right).
Sellers said the man went through his pockets after attacking him. “After the guy hit me, he went in my pockets,” he said. “He stole my keys, stole my wallet.”
Sellers said his wallet contained credit cards and approximately $40 in cash. He also believes his cellphone was taken, and his pockets were turned inside out.
About a minute later, the surveillance video shows Sellers still near the vehicle when it was driven away.
“He ran over me pulling off,” Sellers said. His hand and foot were run over as the vehicle left, leaving him on the ground.
“Something don’t make sense“
Sellers said the assault left him with an orbital fracture, injuries around his eye and mouth requiring stitches, and a brain bleed.
His daughter tells WTMJ that the family initially couldn’t understand the extent of the injuries they were seeing. “If you look at his injuries, it would have took some time for somebody to do that to him,” she said.
She said his injuries were so extensive that the family initially wondered whether more than one person had attacked him. “It was so bad, we thought it was like multiple people,” she said.
Sellers’ daughter said her father went to Warren’s Wednesday night for karaoke, arriving around 11:00 p.m. She said he was there for approximately 40 to 45 minutes before the events unfolded.
The family was notified around 2:00 a.m. on October 2. Sellers’ daughter said the family began hearing different versions of what happened.
“All of the stories that we kind of got were conflicting,” she said.
One person told the family Sellers had been shoved inside the establishment. His daughter said they also heard an account suggesting Sellers had gotten into a vehicle with someone and was driven away from the area.
“When they were giving us the rundown, I’m like, no, something don’t make sense,” she said. She said those accounts didn’t appear consistent with what the family subsequently learned.
“If you know my dad, he’s really not a violent person,” she said. “He’s never, like, ever been that type of way.”
Sellers’ daughter described her father as a former musician who participated in anti-violence efforts years ago. She said he continues to visit karaoke events around Milwaukee to sing and promote his music.
His daughter said he didn’t initially realize his vehicle was missing. “He didn’t even know the car was gone,” she said.
As Sellers recovered, he was able to provide his own account of portions of the incident, including being struck, having his pockets searched and being run over as his vehicle was driven away.
City records show previous warning letters involving Warren’s Lounge
WTMJ reviewed City of Milwaukee licensing records pertaining to Warren’s Lounge, finding they had previously received warning letters during license-renewal proceedings.
In 2015, the Common Council’s Licenses Committee approved license renewals for Warren’s Lounge with a warning letter.
In 2016, the committee again approved the establishment’s license renewal with a warning letter based on a police report. During that hearing, then-license holder Warren Harper told committee members he had operated the establishment for 46 years and had never experienced a problem like the one described in the police report.
Alderwoman Milele Coggs also questioned Harper about security at the premises.
City records show another warning letter in 2019. During that proceeding, Harper told the committee that a perpetrator involved in an incident referenced in the police report had never entered Warren’s and was not a customer. Alderwoman Coggs suggested that Harper consider hiring a security guard for busier nights. The committee approved the renewal with a warning letter based on the police report.
Family asks witnesses to come forward
Sellers’ daughter believes other people were in a position to see at least portions of what happened that night.
“We just know that the people who work at Warren’s were giving us the runaround about what took place,” she said. “Some were saying that it didn’t happen at the bar. Some were saying that they drove him away from the scene.”
The family is asking anyone who was at Warren’s that night and witnessed events inside or outside the establishment to come forward. They are particularly interested in anyone who may have additional surveillance footage, cellphone video, photographs or firsthand information.
The family says it isn’t asking members of the public to confront anyone or make accusations based on surveillance images. They want witnesses and evidence turned over to investigators.
Milwaukee police are also investigating.
Anyone with firsthand information about what happened to Timothy “Keys” Sellers is encouraged to contact Milwaukee police. Witnesses with information, photographs or video may also contact WTMJ reporter Tory Lowe.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information is confirmed.
