Levora

A plea for peace, then death by bullet

Cherished minister thought to be victim of stray gunshot

By FELICIA THOMAS-LYNN fthomas-lynn@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Thursday, November 14, 2002

On Monday night, the Rev. Terrance Spencer was making an impassioned plea to residents and elected officials gathered at Canaan Missionary Baptist Church:

"Permeate our community" to stop the escalating violence, Spencer exhorted them.

About 24 hours later, Spencer himself was cut down by violence -- shot in the head a block from his home while driving to his second job in Menomonee Falls.

Spencer may have driven unwittingly into gunfire meant for someone else near N. Teutonia Ave. and W. Capitol Drive, police said. Several shots were fired; no one else was injured. Police do not have any suspects, and no one was in custody Wednesday.

"This was a Christian man who didn't bother anyone. He was soft spoken and loved his family, and he loved his church," said the Rev. John Johnson, pastor of the church where Spencer was an associate minister.

"He was a jewel."

Spencer, 44, was driving north in the 4000 block of N. Teutonia when the shooting occurred at 9:35 p.m. The police said it doesn't appear that Spencer had been arguing with anyone or that the shooting was a road rage incident. He died at 12:27 a.m. Wednesday at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, police said.

"My mouth dropped," said state Rep. Leon Young, who sat next to Spencer at Monday's meeting. "It saddens me. It's ironic that the night before at that meeting we were talking about crime and how to uplift our community."

During the meeting at the church, 2975 N. 11th St., about 30 residents, local elected officials and civic leaders discussed community issues on the heels of Charlie Young's beating death and other violent acts by youths.

"This is a terribly sad incident. What happened to Rev. Spencer is the very thing that we met to prevent," said state Sen. Gary George, who also attended the meeting.

"This tragic occurrence needs to be a wake-up call to the community to join the Police Department to fight gun violence and drugs in our community," George said. "This is a fight for everyone."

Ald. Marvin Pratt, who also attended, called for law enforcement officials to get guns off the street.

"It's out of control," Pratt said. "They were shooting across the street at a major intersection where you wouldn't expect that to be happening. It's shocking."

Spencer was headed to his third-shift job at Kohl's Department Stores Distribution Center when he was killed. "He was a valued associate," said Susan Henderson, a Kohl's spokeswoman. "We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to his family during this difficult time."

First at Sunday school

Each Sunday, Spencer, who got off work at 6 a.m., often was the first person to arrive for Sunday school, acquaintances said.

"He had a commitment to Christ and the church," said Fred Jones, a church deacon. "He was very faithful and a very personable individual. It's devastating. It begs the question as to why."

Johnson said Spencer recently replaced his poorly running car so his parents would be able to use it to run errands because "he didn't want his mother and father walking."

"He didn't want our parents to want for anything. His heart was pure," said his sister, LeVora Spencer-Johnson, who came upon the shooting scene after her mother called saying Spencer had not shown up for work.

"I drove the route that I knew he took to work, and I found him," said Spencer-Johnson, who was met by detectives and other law enforcement officers.

At the church Wednesday night, the weekly Bible study program was replaced by a prayer vigil honoring the life and memory of Spencer.

His brother, the Rev. Jerome Spencer, asked for salvation for the soul of the person who fired the gun in the death of his brother.

"They not only took a life, they took an anointed life," his brother said. "I'm feeling for the young person. I think they're alone, scared and hurting. All I want is for them to cry out to God. If they need someone to talk to, they can call me."

Spencer worked closely with the church's youths and would drive them in the church van on out-of-town trips, such as to the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, which is held in various parts of the country.

"I really don't know who my father is, but I looked to Rev. Spencer as that dad, even though he didn't know it," said LaTonya Ray, 17.

"I could talk to him about anything. He knew I was in a foster home and didn't want to be there," Ray said. "He convinced me to stay there. He didn't judge me. He told me that everyone has faults. When you do wrong things, you have to pray to God."

Other young people in the church recall Spencer being generous, buying Bibles for children who needed them and never forgetting their birthdays.

"He would buy us gifts," said Trenace Fitch, 11. "He was someone you could lean and depend on. When you did bad things like made bad grades, he would boost your confidence. He would tell us, 'If you trust and believe in God, you can do anything.' He made you always feel like you're excellent."

Spencer, who graduated from Washington High School, earned a bachelor's degree from Marquette University and was pursuing his master's degree. He was scheduled to graduate in December. Funeral services for Spencer are pending.

Johnson said that Spencer's killing illustrates again why efforts such as the one on Monday night must continue.

"This Williamsburg Heights community needs to embrace and endorse forming a community coalition where we can let those folks know that we are tired of this kind of behavior," he said. "It proves the point that what we were trying to do Monday night is very much worthwhile."

Journal Sentinel staff writer Leah Thorsen contributed to this report.

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