At least six teens shot dead after Juneteenth celebration in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (AP) — At least six teenagers were shot at a location just after Milwaukee’s Juneteens celebration, according to police and fire officials.
The shooting occurred outside the Church of God’s Church in Greater Philadelphia around 4:20 p.m. Monday, according to witnesses and a Facebook Live video shot by bystanders shortly after the shooting, local media said.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said six teenagers were shot dead, including a 17-year-old in custody who may have been the shooter himself. Police continued to search for additional suspects who have not yet been identified.
Police said the victims ranged in age from 14 to 19.
Norman said the shooting may have been the result of a fight between numerous girls and young women, but he didn’t know what triggered the fight. According to the chief, the injuries of the injured vary, but do not appear to be life-threatening.
“Milwaukee, what’s going on with our kids?” Norman wondered out loud at the press conference. He said he had attended the city’s Juneteenth celebrations for eight years and had never had such a bloody aftermath.
“Parents, Guardians and Elders, we need to work to ensure that this violence our children are bringing to our streets does not fall into the hands of our youth. is not.”
“It’s a story that unfolds too often, and it’s getting pretty old. It’s really aged,” said Norman.
The riots follow a bloody weekend of shootings across the country.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson stressed Monday’s Juneteenth event itself was a safe and growing event, and said the violence that followed was “totally, utterly unacceptable.”
“There were thousands of people here, celebrating, uniting, having a sense of community. That’s a powerful thing. That’s the true story of what this day is about,” said the Democratic Party. Mr Johnson said.
A man identified as T. Jenkins told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that there had been a fight between the two women before the shooting. A young man pulled out a gun and everyone dispersed, Jenkins said. The man is said to have been part of the shooting.
Jenkins helped a young woman with a neck injury. She said she was bleeding from the left side of her neck. “I put pressure on her neck,” he said. “I tried to calm people down.”
A Facebook Live video shot shortly after the shooting showed at least two young men with bullet wounds being treated by paramedics on the sidewalk.
The person who filmed the Facebook Live said in the video that a teenage girl or young woman had a gunshot wound to the neck. A Facebook user tried to comfort a crying friend trying to contact her mother. Only about 20 minutes after the festival officially ended, hundreds were still walking the streets.
Thousands of people flocked to King Drive for the festival, which ran from 9am to 4pm. The streets were lined with stalls selling food and merchandise, as well as community groups offering resources, snacks and free giveaways.
Music blared from the booths and long lines formed for food trucks serving refreshing treats in the heat. Youth dance groups, marching bands and training teams entertained crowds in a parade along King Drive earlier in the day. Police were stationed at several points along the route.
Another vendor, Keith Caldwell, described the scene as follows: “I heard commotion, gunshots and people screaming.”
Speaking about security at the event, Caldwell spoke of the need for gun control.
“It seems to be out of control right now,” he said.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jun/20/least-6-teens-shot-after-milwaukee-juneteenth-cele/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS At least six teens shot dead after Juneteenth celebration in Milwaukee
