Milwaukee, WI - One person is dead and the suspect behind the wheel of a stolen car is seriously hurt after a police pursuit. It ended when the suspect crashed into another driver, killing him, near 12th and Locust Thursday morning.
“Senseless, [it's] senseless because these things shouldn’t be happening,” Rafe Perry, a minister, said.
That sentiment is shared by almost everyone TODAY'S TMJ4 spoke with in a neighborhood near 12th and Locust.
Minister Perry was one of the few people willing to speak candidly about reckless driving in Milwaukee.
“Driving, it looks like the Indy-500. It’s sad," he said. "Kids are scared to walk or cross the street because [of] senseless driving/ [It's] senseless.”
A 19-year-old was killed early Thursday morning when police tried to stop the driver of a suspected stolen car near 64th and Congress.
“They have no respect. Not respect for the streets, not respect for the law, not respect for life,” Minister Perry said.
Police said the driver blew past multiple spotlights and stop signs nearly causing an accident, but that didn’t stop him. He blew past another light near 12th and Locust and that’s when he violently crashed into another car.
“I understand it’s like for the adrenaline rush or what not, but it’s like people’s loved ones at risk,” a neighbor said.
This is the second time in two days innocent victims were impacted by a driver trying to evade police. On Wednesday, a 7-year-old and 9-year-old were hurt when a police pursuit ended with a crash near 16th and Keefe.
Last year, Milwaukee police initiated 940 pursuits, a 155% increase from the previous year.
And although there may be renewed debate over the safety of Milwaukee's pursuit policy. The new chairman of Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission said there is no plan to change the policy, but they are open to reevaluating it.
