Family Seeks Justice After Concordia Pharmacy Student Ariel Spillner Fatally Shot by Friend in Milwaukee
MEQUON, WISCONSIN — Family, classmates, and professors are grieving the loss of 26-year-old Ariel Spillner, a Concordia University pharmacy student who was shot and killed Tuesday night in Milwaukee in what police are calling a tragic and shocking act of violence.
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, officers responded to the 5100 block of North 39th Street just before 10 p.m. on November 4, where they found Spillner fatally shot. Another woman, 31 years old, was also shot but survived — and has since been arrested in connection with Spillner’s death.
A Family Grieving the Loss of a Dreamer
Spillner’s family, who traveled from the Madison area and Iowa County, gathered Thursday at Concordia University’s School of Pharmacy in Mequon, where Ariel was known as a dedicated student with one year left before graduation.
“She wanted to be a pharmacist so bad,” said Courtney Spillner, Ariel’s older sister. “She was so excited. When she graduated, she wanted to move to Florida and be a pharmacist there.”
Courtney said Ariel’s dream of helping others defined her personality.
“She loved helping people. She would give you the clothes off her back if you needed it.”
The sisters last spoke just hours before Ariel was killed.
“I talked to her that evening — she was her goofy self, laughing, smiling, joking around. And just a few hours later, she was gone,” Courtney said tearfully. “It’s just shocking. It’s hard to wrap my head around not having my sister.”
Their final exchange ended with words that now feel especially meaningful.
“We told each other we loved each other when we hung up the phone,” Courtney recalled. “We always say it. This time, it’s just a little more special.”
Police Say Suspect Was Ariel’s Friend
Investigators say the suspect who was arrested after the shooting was a friend of Ariel’s, and the two were together celebrating the woman’s birthday.
“She was friends with her,” Courtney said. “She probably just went over there to celebrate. She had a big exam Friday, so she wouldn’t have stayed out long.”
Police say they are not seeking additional suspects, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case for potential charges.
‘She Had So Much More Life Left to Live’
Friends and classmates remembered Ariel as a compassionate, vibrant young woman whose passion for helping others extended beyond the classroom.
“She’s an incredible person who was taken way too soon,” said Liz Bruchs, a longtime friend and former basketball teammate. “She had so much more life left to live, so much more to give to her community and the people she loved.”
Ariel was also a third-degree black belt in karate and had played college basketball at Lake Superior State and Clark University. Bruchs said Ariel often dreamed of moving to Florida after graduation.
“She loved the beach. She talked about it all the time. She really deserved to get to that point,” Bruchs said.
Campus and Community in Mourning
In a statement, Concordia University Wisconsin said it is “deeply saddened” by Ariel’s death and is offering counseling and pastoral care to students and faculty.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Ariel’s family, friends, classmates, and all who knew and loved her,” the statement read.
A GoFundMe campaign, organized by Bruchs, is raising funds to assist Ariel’s family with funeral expenses and memorial arrangements.
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