20-year-old shot dead while protecting pregnant sister from her teen boyfriend

A 20-year-old man in Wisconsin was killed while attempting to protect his 17-year-old sister from her boyfriend, who also shot her before taking his own life days later.

The incident occurred around 2 pm on Wednesday, October 1, at an apartment on the 600 block of Candy Lane in Barron, Wisconsin. The unnamed 17-year-old suspect entered the apartment and shot Makayla Sadowski, who was seven months pregnant, before fatally shooting her brother, Tyler Sadowski.

Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Rice Lake Police Department responded to a shots fired call at the address of 650 Candy Lane in the City of Barron.    “Upon arrival officers located a deceased male and a wounded female at the residence.  Officers secured the residence and located the suspect with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” read the statement.

Makayla was rushed to hospital and underwent an emergency delivery. Both she and her newborn are reported to be “doing well,” according to the sheriff’s office. The suspect also had a two-year-old daughter.

A family mourning a hero

Shanay Conyers, the siblings’ cousin, recounted that Tyler responded to gunfire after the pair returned home from town, saying, “They heard like a pop, so Tyler went to see what was happening,” before he was shot.

A GoFundMe page set up by their cousin, Isela, described Tyler as “a young man full of kindness, laughter, and light,” who “in a heroic act of love” lost his life protecting his sister. The page said Makayla “was shot in the stomach” and noted the devastating impact on the family, citing “medical bills, funeral expenses for Tyler, housing and food costs, and care needed for Makayla’s daughter.” The fundraiser urged donations to “ease the financial burden and allow our family to focus on healing and supporting Makayla and her children.”