20-6-2023 (MILWAUKEE) On Monday afternoon, at least six teenagers were shot near the location where Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebration had just concluded, as reported by police and fire officials.
According to witnesses and a bystander’s Facebook Live video taken immediately after the incident, the shooting took place around 4:20 PM outside the Greater Philadelphia Church of God in Christ. Local media outlets provided these details.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman confirmed that six teens were shot, including a 17-year-old who may have been one of the gunmen and is now in custody. The police are still searching for additional suspects who have yet to be identified.
The victims, four girls and two boys, ranged in age from 14 to 19.
Chief Norman stated that the shooting may have originated from a fight among several girls and young women, but the specific cause of the dispute is unknown. Although the injuries suffered by the victims varied, none of them appeared to be life-threatening.
“Milwaukee, what is happening with our children?” Chief Norman questioned during a press conference. He expressed his participation in the city’s Juneteenth celebrations for eight years without experiencing such a violent aftermath.
“Parents, guardians, elders, we need to actively work towards putting an end to this violence that our children are bringing to our streets. Our young ones should not have access to handguns or any weapons of destruction,” Chief Norman emphasized.
“This is a recurring story, and it’s becoming all too familiar. It’s getting really old,” added Chief Norman.
This act of violence followed a weekend marked by numerous shootings across the United States.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson stressed that the Juneteenth observance on Monday itself was a safe and growing event, calling the subsequent violence “completely and utterly unacceptable.”
“We had thousands and thousands of people here celebrating, coming together, and experiencing a sense of community. That’s a powerful thing. That’s the true story of what this day represents,” commented Mayor Johnson, a Democrat.
A man named T. Jenkins, who spoke to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, stated that the shooting followed a fight between two women. According to Jenkins, a young man pulled out a gun, causing everyone to scatter. He confirmed that the man fired some of the shots.
Jenkins provided assistance to a young woman with a neck wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. He tried to maintain a calm atmosphere amidst the chaos.
A Facebook Live video captured immediately after the shooting showed paramedics treating at least two young individuals with gunshot wounds on the pavement. The person filming the video stated that a teenage girl or young woman had been shot in the neck. The Facebook user attempted to comfort her sobbing friend, who was trying to reach her mother. Despite the festival officially ending only about 20 minutes prior, hundreds of people were still walking along the street.
BREAKING: This is a still from video of a fight near Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebration.
It shows a man pull a gun from his waistband moments before shots were fired and the crowd scattered.
Milwaukee Police reports multiple people hit by gunfire.#LockharTVMedia… pic.twitter.com/dWWaI07PbD
— LockharTVMedia (@LockharTVMedia) June 19, 2023
The Juneteenth festival attracted thousands of attendees who filled King Drive throughout the day, from 9 AM to 4 PM. Vendors offering food and merchandise lined the streets, alongside community organizations providing resources, snacks, and giveaways.
Booths and food trucks playing music and offering refreshing treats attracted long queues in the scorching heat. Youth dance groups, marching bands, and drill teams entertained the crowds with a parade along King Drive earlier in the day. Police officers were stationed at various points along the route.
Keith Caldwell, another vendor present, described the scene, stating, “I just heard commotion, gunshots, people screaming.”
Regarding event security, Caldwell stressed the need for gun control, stating, “Right now, it feels like an uncontrollable situation.”
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