ARREST MADE: Convicted felon in custody in shooting of 10-year-old on playground

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn on Monday, May 26th announced the arrest of an 18-year-old man in connection with a shooting incident that left a 10-year-old girl seriously injured. 10-year-old Sierra Guyton was shot while playing on the playground near 28th and Clarke -- feet from her home.

Chief Flynn says the man arrested late Sunday night, May 25th is "part of the 10%."

Chief Flynn said: "10% of offenders generate half of the crime in Milwaukee."

This 18-year-old man has been arrested 15 times by the Milwaukee Police Department during his young life.

Chief Flynn says 12 days ago, the man was wounded in a gun battle with another person.

Early this year, the man was in a vehicle that was shot.

Chief Flynn says the man has been arrested for battery, robbery, vehicle theft, trespassing and burglary.

He is a convicted felon -- at the age of 18.

The man was on probation for burglary at the time of the shooting that seriously injured Sierra Guyton.

The man was apparently identified about 12 hours after the shooting -- and days later, the MPD Neighborhood Task Force Fugitive Apprehension Unit found him.

Police say they were helped by neighbors -- some motivated through anger at the age and the place where the young victim was struck.

Chief Flynn said: "We continue to ask for and rely upon the public's help in looking for the second person involved in this shooting."

Police say they have leads -- and Mayor Barrett says all it takes is for one person to have a conscience.

"Someone is allowing somebody to say in their home who was in the gun battles that may cost the life of a 10-year-old girl. Why are you harboring? Why are you helping someone who's been involved in a gun battle that has this young woman -- this young girl fighting for her life? Call. Turn them in. Let's get this guy off the street," Mayor Barrett said.

Milwaukee police have said Sierra Guyton was caught in the crossfire as two individuals fired shots at one another.

Both Chief Flynn and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said during a press conference on Monday that the community needs to continue to be "engaged and enraged" -- and continue to work to put an end to the violence in the city of Milwaukee.

Earlier Monday, a "Let the Children Live" rally was held near the shooting scene on Memorial Day.

There was a lot of love in Milwaukee's Metcalfe Park neighborhood on this Memorial Day.

"When I stepped outside, it was people hugging me that I didn`t even know, but I just still gave them a hug, because they was just asking for it," Sierra Guyton's father, Onjuan Guyton said.

Neighbors were embracing the effort to put an end to the violence in the city of Milwaukee -- during the "Let the Children Live" peace rally -- inspired by the shooting of 10-year-old Sierra Guyton last week.

"It`s definitely helping me, you know. It`s very supportive, and I appreciate it," Onjuan Guyton said.

Onjuan Guyton says his little girl remains hospitalized.

"She`s still critical. The thing is that she has been eating, she has been using the bathroom on the regular -- so the doctors tell us that`s a plus, and we`re just moving forward and hoping that it gets more positive everyday," Onjuan Guyton said.

There was plenty of positivity near the intersection of 28th and Clarke on Monday as neighbors gathered for the rally.

"Only time we come together is when something bad happens -- so we need to do this on a daily basis. Like we could just wake up and have a barbecue with our neighbors. So that's good -- seeing them together and having fun," one neighbor said.

Still, no one ignored the fact that they were standing yards away from where a bullet struck Sierra Guyton in her head.

"Our purpose is to change the evil that`s going on in our community. You know, we gotta protect our babies," one neighbor said.

"It`s kinda hard for me to get into the celebrating mood. I`m -- the only thing I`m worried about is getting my baby home, you know. That`s about it, but I appreciate all the love that I got out here. I appreciate it. It`s definitely a blessing," Onjuan Guyton said.

Sierra Guyton's father says doctors are hoping to reduce the amount of medication in Sierra's system sometime next week.