"It's just so bad:" Mother says 13-year-old son attacked just feet from a peace rally in Sherman Park

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Pummeled at a peace rally! A young boy is recovering after he was attacked yards away from the scene of a march promoting peace in Milwaukee.

Multiple "Stop the Violence" rallies were held Sunday, April 19th in Milwaukee -- and one of the stops was Milwaukee's Sherman Park, near Sherman and Burleigh. Marchers implored neighbors to resolve problems with words -- instead of violence. This, after we saw a particularly violent week in Milwaukee last week. From Sunday, April 12th through Sunday, April 19th, we saw 14 shootings in Milwaukee, and Milwaukee police are investigating seven homicides that occurred within this period.

Janice Scott says about 50 feet from the rally promoting peace, her 13-year-old son was attacked.

teen attacked near Sherman Park peace rally

"When I looked at him, I said 'oh my God, what happened to you?' I just seen blood and his eye was big and I was just scared. Had something to do with someone he used to hang out with eight months ago," Janice Scott said.

13-year-old Marcus has little interest in sharing his story, but his mom wants it out there. She doesn't understand how this could have happened so close to the scene of a peace rally.

"It`s always good to march. That`s only for awareness. But it`s a difference between marching and taking an active approach to violence," Tory Lowe said.

Lowe recorded video from the peace rally at Sherman Park. He says people heard Janice Scott screaming when she got to the scene, but even those protesting for peace weren't sure how to react when confronted with violence.

"We`re gonna try to have a hands-on approach to the violence -- a direct approach to the violence. We`re gonna investigate it ourselves and then help the police find out who these perpetrators are and turn them in," Lowe said.

Janice Scott says she just wants the peace of mind that comes with knowing her young son is safe at the park. Like so many others, she is trying to find out how we get there.

"I don`t know. It`s just so bad. I don`t know. I really don`t have the words," Scott said.

Milwaukee police weren't able to immediately confirm they've filed a report on the incident near Sherman Park.

Lowe says he's seen some posts about the attack on social media, and he's hoping those will help lead to justice.