A 9-year-old child was taken to a hospital after being shot Wednesday evening on Milwaukee’s northwest side, according to Milwaukee police. Officers were called to the area around 7 p.m., and the child later showed up at a local hospital for treatment. The case remains under active investigation as detectives look for witnesses and any information that might explain how a school-age kid ended up caught in gunfire.
What police say
Milwaukee police told CBS 58 they responded to the area of N. 57th and Locust Street at about 7 p.m., after which the 9-year-old arrived at a hospital for medical care. The department describes the investigation as active and is asking anyone with information to call Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS, or to submit tips through the P3 Tips app.
Kids and gun violence in Milwaukee
Child-involved shootings have been a recurring problem in Milwaukee, and local coverage has highlighted both gaps in state law and a rise in pediatric firearm injuries. As reported by the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, researchers say stronger child-access prevention laws can reduce unintentional shootings and other gun-related harms to young people. Local reporting also notes that community groups regularly distribute free gun locks and other safety resources.
Wisconsin Public Radio has reported that community leaders are warning about an increase in firearm-related injuries to children in recent years, with officials repeatedly urging parents and caregivers to keep guns locked, secured and out of kids’ reach.
City prevention efforts
The city’s Office of Violence Prevention and its partner organizations run outreach and trauma-response programs aimed at cutting down youth exposure to violence and supporting families after incidents like this one. A city blueprint outlines how those pieces are supposed to fit together. Milwaukee’s Violence Prevention Blueprint lays out a public-health approach to reducing shootings and helping victims and their families, calling for coordinated prevention, intervention, enforcement and reentry strategies across city agencies and community partners.
Police say the investigation into Wednesday’s shooting is ongoing and are again asking anyone with information to call (414) 935-7360 or send tips through the P3 Tips app. Initial details on the incident were reported by CBS 58. This story will be updated if authorities release additional information or file charges.
