Two teens shot to death after altercation on city's north side



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Two teenagers, a 19-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, were shot to death at an apartment building near 27th and Vliet St. on Milwaukee's north side Wednesday afternoon, March 12th. A third person, a 21-year-old man, is in custody.

FOX6 News has learned there was an argument between a 39-year-old maintenance man and the three individuals. The argument escalated and eventually, one person was beating the maintenance man with a baseball bat while the other two held the man down. That's when the maintenance man pulled out a gun and shot the victims.

The maintenance man is being treated for injuries at a hospital. Police say he is cooperating with investigators.

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn says someone captured video of the assault and shooting. It is now being reviewed as evidence in this case.

FOX6 News spoke with Joseph Hearns Jr. -- who says he is related to the 19-year-old man shot and killed.

"The young man was my nephew's son, and (the female was) his baby's mother," Hearns said.

Hearns came to the scene on Wednesday -- looking for answers.

"I heard so many sides of it so I`m not sure what to believe at this point," Hearns said.

FOX6 News spoke with a man who heard the fight from a nearby furniture store. He didn't want to talk with FOX6 on camera, but says he ran when he heard screaming. When he got to the stairwell, he says he saw the 17-year-old and the 19-year-old on the ground.

That man says he recognized the shooter as a maintenance worker he's spoken with before. He says the man was waving a gun, looking confused -- his face bloody.

"We don`t know what precipitated the assault. We don`t know every detail of it. We do know that the maintenance man did sustain injuries and we did capture the assault on him on video. The video also captured the shooting," Chief Flynn said.

Chief Flynn says the investigation continues, and says this case will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office in the coming days.