Posted on June 20, 2023

Six Teens — Including Four Minors — Shot Near Where Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Celebration Had Just Wrapped Up

Hannah Kirby et al., Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 19, 2023

Six teenagers — including four minors — were shot and wounded Monday afternoon near where Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebration had just wrapped up, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.

The shooting happened around 4:20 p.m. directly outside Greater Philadelphia Church of God in Christ, 2947 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, according to witnesses and a Facebook Live video taken by a bystander in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

Police said the victims were four girls who are ages 14, 16, 17 and 18, and two boys who are 17 and 19. They were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.

Milwaukee Police said their preliminary investigation revealed the shooting may have stemmed from a fight between multiple girls on MLK Drive when suspects fired several shots.

It appears that the 17-year-old boy, who was injured, was a shooter in the incident, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said at a news conference outside of MPD District 5 Monday night. The boy is in custody, Norman said. Milwaukee Police are seeking additional unknown suspects.

Norman said it will take a village to fix the violence problem.

“Milwaukee, what’s going on with our children?” Norman said. “Parents, guardians, elders, we need to engage and ensure that this violence that our children are bringing to these streets cease. No handgun, no weapon of destruction should be in the hands of our young ones. It’s important that all of us do something.”

“This is not a Milwaukee Police Department thing. Not the mayor’s thing. Not just only community organizers,” Norman said. “It’s a ‘us’ thing. … We need you, all of you to be part of this effort to make our city safer.”

Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at a news conference that guns shouldn’t be used as part of fights.

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“Today was a glorious day,” Johnson said. “We celebrated Juneteenth. And I think it’s important to point out the fact that this incident did not happen during Juneteenth. … This happened after Juneteenth had concluded. But still, it is totally, it is totally, totally unacceptable for the incident that happened right in this neighborhood, right in this community.”

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A man who identified himself as T. Jenkins said a fight between two females preceded the shooting.

A young man pulled out a gun and everyone scattered, Jenkins said. The man did some of the shooting, he said.

Jenkins provided aid to a young woman with a neck wound. Blood was coming out of the left side of her neck, he said.

Original Article