MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A Department of Neighborhood Services Special Enforcement Inspector was shot at by kids attempting to steal his car Wednesday, according to a spokesperson with DNS.
The incident happened near the 3200 block of W. Wisconsin Avenue around 3:30 p.m., Wednesday.
Milwaukee police said three boys, a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old and an 11-year-old, attempted to steal the inspector's car, and one of them fired a shot. DNS said the inspector wasn't injured, but his jacket was grazed and his car was hit by gunfire.
According to police, after failing to take the inspector's car, the three boys fled the scene. The 14-year-old drove a separate car before crashing it into another car near N. 12th Street and W. State Street. All three were arrested after a foot pursuit.
Watch: City of Milwaukee inspector shot at by kids attempting to steal his car Wednesday
Nearby resident Alejandra Hernandez saw the aftermath and said her home was surrounded by police tape. She was surprised to learn the victim was a city inspector.
"DNS is very helpful, especially with issues that a lot of tenants have had lately. They're out here multiple you know, different places, different locations, and the fact that they're here to do their job, and they have to worry about things like this happening, especially from teenagers, very scary," Hernandez said. "They're here to kind of protect us from these landlords and these issues we have. And now where's their protection going to be at?"
Hernandez, who has children of her own, said she often worries about their safety and believes there are not enough resources for kids in the area.
"It does have a little bit to do with the parents. It does also have a lot to do with the community itself and the officials in the community, just because they're not doing what needs to be done to provide safe places, safe spaces for these kids. A lot of these kids need a little bit more structure, some guidance," Hernandez said.
A spokesperson for DNS said the inspector was assisting the Milwaukee Police Department with an inspection of a nuisance property; however, this incident was not related to the property inspection itself.
DNS said the inspector was driving his personal car, but that it had a City of Milwaukee seal on it.
Here's the full statement from DNS:
"Yesterday, while assisting the Milwaukee Police Department with an inspection of a nuisance property at 3200 W. Wisconsin Ave., a Department of Neighborhood Services Special Enforcement inspector was shot at by individuals attempting to steal his vehicle. This incident was not related to the property inspection. Fortunately, due to his quick thinking and experience, the inspector was able to move out of the line of fire and was not injured. His jacket was grazed...by gunfire. Any questions regarding the investigation or the apprehension of suspects should be directed to the Milwaukee Police Department. The City of Milwaukee and the Department of Neighborhood Services prioritize the safety and well-being of our staff. We recently conducted an in-depth training session on inspector safety, presented by the Code Enforcement Officer Safety Foundation, which addressed situations like this and other scenarios inspectors may encounter in the field. We will continue to evaluate our safety protocols and assess the need for additional training and equipment to further protect our team. At this time, the inspector’s name will not be released out of respect for his and his family’s privacy."
We have reached out to Milwaukee Police for comment and are waiting to hear back.
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