MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee mother of four is warning drivers about the dangers of road rage after she was shot for honking her horn at a reckless driver.
Katrina Mills was driving home from work on September 11 when she took a detour onto 60th Street at Silver Spring. When another driver tried to pass her on the right illegally, Mills says she honked her horn.
"I just had a feeling that I had to get away because once I noticed they were following my car, I knew there was nothing good that was going to come from it," Mills said.
Mills says the driver followed her car for two miles until they reached a red light on Fond du Lac Avenue. That's when Mills says the passenger pulled out a gun and fired two shots at her.
Watch: Road rage shooting victim warns drivers after being shot for honking horn
"I never imagined honking my horn would lead to not only shots being fired or me to closely losing my life," Mills said.
Doctors told Mills that mere inches were the difference between life and death. An X-ray shows a rod that was surgically placed in her arm, and bullet fragments that remain lodged in her body that cannot be removed.
"I thought I was going to lose my life," Mills said.
The shooting has left Mills unable to work, as she can only lift two pounds with her left arm. The single mother says she's now falling behind on her bills.
"Everything just came down crumbling for me," Mills said.
Mills says she now regrets honking her horn that day.
"Yes, I do regret honking my horn. Because maybe they were having a bad day, not saying I feel any sympathy or anything like that, but maybe if I hadn't blown my horn, they would have just kept driving by," Mills said.
She's sharing her story as a warning to other Milwaukee drivers.
"Don't blow their horns at people if they blow their horns back. And if someone wants to pass you in traffic, if your life is not in danger or whatever, just let them pass. Just let them go," Mills said.
The Milwaukee Police Department says they are seeking a known suspect, and charges were referred for a warrant. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office says the case is pending for further investigation.
Mills has a message for the person who shot her.
"You can't get away with shooting people over blowing horns. That's ridiculous. I could have lost my life. My kids could have been without a mom, and it could have turned out really bad," Mills said.
Anyone with information about the suspect can call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
If you would like to help Mills, she's created a GoFundMe account.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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