MILWAUKEE — A 41-year-old woman died and her 14-year-old daughter is in serious condition following a shooting near 36th and Center just before 8 a.m. on Thursday, Milwaukee police say.
Milwaukee police said in an update on Friday that the 14-year-old is in stable condition. They did not provide any other information.
“It’s extremely disturbing, especially early morning, there’s people out here going to work and kids going to school, so it's traumatic,” said Milwaukee Police Captain Herb Glidewell.
Police are looking for a known suspect and believe the homicide to be domestic violence related.
Witnesses say the 14-year-old girl jumped out of a second-floor window, fearing for her life. Her 41-year-old mother was shot right in front of their home.
“Her mother died alone on this cold, snow covered ground,” said Christal West, who works with the resident-led community group Amani United. “And you have a child who witnessed her mother die at the hands of someone else. That is going to affect her for the rest of her life. She needs help and healing. What about the kids on this street who heard the gunshots or saw what happened? They need help and healing. But will they get it? This is a vicious cycle of trauma.”
There are bullet holes in the front door, on the front porch, and in the siding of the home.
A sign outside congratulates a Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts student for completing 8th grade. That student is the 14-year-old now fighting to recover.
“What we see in our community now, adults and children are becoming numb to death,” West said. “We have a different vigil and balloon release every day. Every day you see someone being murdered senselessly. This didn’t have to happen. None of these murders have to happen. We have to take control and say PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - is a public health emergency.”
West, and other volunteers with Amani United, often go door to door asking neighbors if they need help or resources. She’s noticed the difficulty in domestic violence cases, is getting people to admit there’s a problem.
“We privately hide it if we get beat up,” West said. “We cover it up with makeup. We have an excuse for the person. Oh, they were stressed. It’s all PTSD.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS or P3 Tips App.
A GoFundMe has been set up to the help the 14-year-old daughter.
MCMEO responding to the homicide of an adult female in the 2600 blk of N. 36. @MilwaukeePolice investigating. Autopsy tomorrow.
— Medical Examiner (@mkemedexamine) January 6, 2022
