Police arrest 17-year-old in connection with 26th and Atkinson shooting

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee police say a suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a shooting incident that occurred Friday evening, August 9th in the 2600 block of W. Atkinson.

Police say an 18-year-old man was shot, and suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Police say community engagement efforts led to a quick arrest after the shooting, and officers were able to take a 17-year-old boy into custody.

"The reason he really stuck out was because what he was wearing.  He was wearing some very distinctive glasses, and that just jogged our memory and once we realized and put two and two together,  we contacted the investigating officers and they put together a photo array and everything like that. He was identified by the victim and was picked up later on," Milwaukee Police Officer Amanda Grimm said.

That 17-year-old is being held pending a review by the District Attorney's Office.

Police say the quick arrest was made possible by the work of officers assigned to the Building Neighborhood Trust Initiative, a program designed to reduce crime and improve MPD's relationship with the community.

During the incident, which occurred just before 6:00 p.m. Friday, police say according to the victim, the suspect demanded property from the victim but nothing was obtained and during the incident the suspect fired shots striking the victim.

This shooting, and another on Friday, during which a 53-year-old man was shot in the leg in the 4400 block of N. 26th Street marked the 23rd and 24th incidents of gun violence in Milwaukee in one week.

City leaders, including Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee Alderman Jon Richards have called on the state to change the law, making illegal gun possession a felony with a mandatory three-year prison term.