A four-year-old boy is recovering in stable condition after being found with a gunshot wound in Kenosha on Tuesday evening and flown by medical helicopter to a Milwaukee hospital, according to authorities. Police say the child’s injuries are considered non-life-threatening, and a 22-year-old Kenosha resident is now in custody in connection with the shooting.
In a statement released Thursday morning, the Kenosha Police Department said officers found the injured child after responding to a report of a person who had been shot. The boy was transported by medical flight to a Milwaukee hospital, where investigators later described his injuries as non-life-threatening. A 22-year-old Kenosha resident was arrested and is being booked on a charge of injury by negligent use of a weapon, along with additional offenses, and the investigation remains active and ongoing, as reported by TMJ4.
Charges and legal implications
According to authorities, the suspect is facing a count of injury by negligent use of a weapon, a state offense that covers negligent handling or use of a dangerous weapon that results in injury. Per the Wisconsin Courts' bond schedule, the offense appears as "Injury by negligent use of weapon" and can be treated as a Class E felony depending on the circumstances, with penalties that vary based on the facts of the case. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue any additional or upgraded charges as investigators continue gathering evidence.
Local context
The region has seen child-involved shootings before. In Milwaukee last year, a 4-year-old was fatally shot, a case that sparked public calls for safer gun storage and more community resources. Incidents like that have led local leaders and investigators to make repeated appeals for stronger prevention measures and for witnesses to share what they know. This pattern of children being caught up in gunfire continues to shape debate over storage, supervision and enforcement as cases work their way through the courts.
What investigators are asking
Kenosha Police have not released the name of the 22-year-old suspect or detailed exactly how the shooting unfolded. The investigation is ongoing, and officers say they are still running down leads. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Kenosha Police Department, according to TMJ4.
