Living in fear from gun violence, residents worry for summer

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Scared of the summer.... After there were six shootings on the streets of Milwaukee last night into this morning, one which was fatal -- Some residents say they're frightened to what violence the summer may hold.

Teens at the Agape Community Center have organized a peace rally inspiring community member to put an end to all of this violence. The event comes after recent weeks of reoccurring gunfire. In fact, there are now two incidents in which someone was shot at city park.

A popular park is cleared when shots ring out just before 8:30 p.m. Thursday night, May 29th.

"Everybody ran, they just like scattered," said Pamela Maxwell, concerned community member.

But bullets strike a young man who couldn't manage to get away.

"I just seen him fall on the courts, he walked a couple of steps and fell," said Maxwell. "I just seen him lying there and lot of people trying to help him."

Rescue efforts that just weren't enough. 26-year-old Jacoby Davis died from his wounds. He was one of several gunshot victims that evening.

Just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday, a 30-year-old man was shot by suspects in an unknown vehicle as he was walking near the 3900 block of N. 24th Place. Then, around 6:00 p.m. an 18-year-old man was confronted by a subject on the street and was shot in the 1300th block of N. 26th Street.

The next incident happened in the 6400th block of W. Carmen around 7:10 p.m. when police say a 21-year-old man was shot after a traffic incident and argument. Gunfire then erupted in the 2400 block of N. 39th Street around 10:45 when police say a 18-year-old man was shot by an unknown person as he rode his bike down the street.

Then, early Friday morning, May 30th the sixth shooting incident occurred near N. 38th and Hampton Avenue.

"All of this shooting, it's madness, it's crazy. It makes you wonder what the summer is even going to be like for the children and even for adults," said Maxwell. "It's crazy that you have to be paranoid, but that's the way it is today."

Maxwell says she's grateful for the anti-violence efforts the city has shown, along with the diligence in catching the offenders, but agrees that change within the community is needed in order for the violence to stop.

"I believe as a community, as a whole, we all need to come together. The people that are doing these random shooting and things of that nature, they need to be more mindful of their actions and behaviors," said Maxwell.

That's also what the peace rally event is centered around, getting people to think about actions and repercussions; and having folks come together to realize this is the community your family lives in and it needs to stay safe.