Milwaukee Burger King robbery that left 16-year-old girl dead was staged, prosecutors say

By WDJT Staff

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — – A 41-year-old man has been charged in connection to an armed robbery at a Milwaukee Burger King that left a 16-year-old girl dead. According to the criminal complaint, Antoine Edwards, his daughter, and the victim — identified as Niesha Harris Brazell — planned a staged robbery.

Edwards is charged with the following:

Felony murder Intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child and death is a consequence Possession of a firearm by a felon

Authorities say surveillance shows a driver of an Impala on Sunday, Jan. 2 at the drive-thru window of the Burger King near 51st and Capitol. According to the criminal complaint, the driver rapped on the window and at that time, no one was attending the window. A short time later, a male employee responded to the rapping, opened the window, and briefly said something to the driver. The driver is seen pulling away but return a few minutes later to the drive-thru window. This time, 16-year-old Niesha Harris Brazell opened the window and backed away. Officials said she immediately and quickly backed away from the open window and removed the cash drawer. The Impala driver then, according to the complaint, inserted his upper body into the drive-thru window and was seen holding a semiautomatic pistol.

The complaint says Brazell backed away further when the Impala driver entered the window. Officials said the Impala driver is seen waiving the gun and pointing it in Brazell’s direction, motioning with is free hand toward the cash register drawer.

Authorities said that’s when, suddenly, the Impala driver ducked and pulled himself out of the window, at the same time Brazell falls to the floor.

Brazell was fatally struck.

Officials said it does not appear the Impala driver’s gun ever discharged, since there was no muzzle flash or smoke.

Police interviewed another Burger King employee, who told officials Brazell was her best friend. She stated a few days before the incident that she, Brazell, and her father — identified as Antoine Edwards — planned a staged robbery at the Burger King.

The complaint says, the plan was for Edwards to come to the drive-thru window and stage a robbery at closing time, when the register was likely to have more money. Brazell was usually assigned to the drive-thru window. The other employees were not in on the plan.

According to the employee, she saw Edwards pull up to the window the first time and pull away. She allegedly called him to make sure it was he who had just been at the window. The complaint says Edwards told her he was going to come back around. She said Brazell was with her during the call.

The employee told investigators she believed the reason Brazell didn’t turn over the money was because she “must have panicked.”

Authorities interviewed Edwards, who admitted to participating in what was to have been a staged robbery.

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