MILWAUKEE — A 19-year-old man was shot and killed Saturday night near 48th and Fond du Lac in Milwaukee, and neighbors say they warned police about problems at the location for days before the deadly shooting.
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Jarvis Phillips-Willis died from his injuries after the shooting at a building that had been hosting parties. Two other teens were also injured in the incident.
Timothy Scott, who lives directly behind the building, said he documented crowds and sent video to police days before the shooting occurred.
"I called them, I emailed them, and I sent them this video of this gathering on Wednesday night — and they never responded," Scott said.
Scott sent a text message to District Seven officers after the shooting that read, "Two people shot. I wish you would have responded to my messages."
The neighbor said he believes the tragedy could have been prevented.
"This could have been preventable. I asked them to check into this so that we don't have this kind of situation, and now somebody got killed, another one of our kids," Scott said.
Scott moved to the neighborhood in 2001 and said he's lived there for 25 years. He told his wife the night of the shooting that he recognized trouble was brewing.
Watch: Neighbors say shooting that killed Milwaukee teen could have been prevented
"I said this is the shoot-'em-up crowd — and about a half hour later, I heard a pop — a shot. And then I heard kids screaming and running down the alley," Scott said.
The building is listed under Lahal LLC. Neighbors who didn't want to go on camera said a long fight over safety in the space has left them caught in the middle and now mourning the loss of a teenager.
"They (police) told us it was closed down, but it's not," Scott said.
TMJ4 reached out to MPD, and police say they're aware of the ongoing concerns and have been working with the landlord to resolve them. The night before the shooting, the Milwaukee Police Department issued citations to the occupant for hosting an event without a license. They said the landlord has started the eviction process.
As police search for a shooter, neighbors say they've been sounding the alarm for months.
"Our young people don't have to keep dying coming out of a spot like this," Scott said.
Neighbors say they'll keep speaking out even if it feels like no one's listening. Anyone with information about Saturday night's shooting is asked to call Milwaukee Police or Crime Stoppers.
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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