"These young people need help:" Carjacked & shot, woman hopes sharing her story will bring change



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A 17-year-old boy has been criminally charged -- accused of carjacking a woman near 50th and Locust last week, and shooting her in the face. Days after charges were filed, we're hearing from the victim who survived this terrifying ordeal.

53-year-old Samone Spencer was just recently released from the hospital.

Last Wednesday, shortly after 8:00 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2800 block of N. 50th Street to check on a stolen Dodge Caravan. While parked on scene, officers heard four or five gunshots and screaming that sounded close by. Officers then located 53-year-old Spencer -- bleeding from her face and mouth. She was taken to the hospital, where she was admitted for critical injury caused by three gunshot wounds to her face and body.

" I'm shocked. You never really know until it hits you how something really feels," Spencer said.

Her wounds are still fresh. Bullets remain lodged in Spencer's body and bandages cover the wounds from what was a horrifying crime.

Grover Ferguson



Officers on scene spoke with the Spencer's niece, who said she was across the street with her young daughter and watched her aunt get robbed by a suspect who was later identified as Grover Ferguson. Spencer's niece told police Ferguson had obtained her aunt's keys, and had fled the scene in her red Chrysler Pacifica.

"He opened my driver's side and put the gun to me and said 'give up the keys,'" Spencer said. "He screamed it out again and I just threw my keys to him and 'boom, boom, boom,' right after I threw the keys."

Spencer says she'll never forget the moment she realized she'd been shot.

"I was like 'oh my gosh, he just shot me!'" Spencer said. "Why? I gave you everything!"

Police found Spencer's vehicle five hours later -- parked in the 2300 block of N. 40th Street. Police watched the vehicle and eventually observed Ferguson coming out of a nearby residence, entering the vehicle and driving away.



Police were standing by in marked squads, and they attempted to stop the suspect vehicle.

A pursuit ensued when police say Ferguson refused to stop, with speeds estimated at around 70 miles-per-hour. Police say Ferguson disregarded five stop signs and one traffic light during the 1.1-mile pursuit.

The pursuit ended when Ferguson lost control of the vehicle -- ending up in a front yard on N. 39th Street.

Ferguson took off on foot, police say, but as he rounded the corner of a home, he was stopped by the air conditioner. Police say they then observed him doing something with his hands near his waistband, and they then saw a gun. Ferguson was ordered to drop the weapon, and the Ruger .22 caliber revolver was recovered by police.

Ferguson was taken into custody, and police found the 53-year-old victim's debit, credit and discount cards on him. Additionally, the female victim was able to positively identify Ferguson as the person who shot her before taking her vehicle.

Police say Ferguson confessed to the carjacking and shooting -- telling police he took the gun from his mother one day prior to the incident. Ferguson told officers he was walking near 50th and Locust when he decided to steal a car -- saying "he felt since he had a gun and didn't want to walk anymore, he could get a car." Ferguson said he shot the 53-year-old victim because "she was moving toward him, and he got scared," according to the complaint.

"These young people need help," Spencer said.

As Spencer works to heal, she hopes sharing her story will bring change.

"People need to come out and do something with the youth because it's the youth out here doing all of this," Spencer said.