"I'm scared to sleep:" Attorney offers $25K after 10-year-old shot when bullets flew near 20th & Lapham
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Police Department on Thursday, September 10th joined the family of a 10-year-old boy who was shot one month ago -- and a reward was issued in the case. It's an incentive that could help crack this case.
Attorney Michael Hupy stands with 10-year-old Alfredo Bautista
Attorney Michael Hupy of Hupy and Abraham, S.C. announced a $25,000 reward to the first person to provide authorities with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who fired the shot that injured 10-year-old Alfredo Bautista said.
The shooting happened on August 9th. The boy was shot while inside his home near 20th and Lapham -- as he was sleeping in bed.
"I'm scared to sleep. When I hear little noises, I can't even sleep. I feel like something is gonna happen again," Alfredo Bautista said.
Police call this a reckless and daring crime.
Police say an investigation indicates two groups of people were shooting at each other in the street and one of the rounds hit the child, who was inside his home.
Shooting at home near 20th and Lapham
Markers showed the more than 40 bullets fired in the area -- some piercing the boy's home, and others striking a car nearby.
Alfredo Bautista was taken to the hospital for treatment, and he was released after spending eight hours in the hospital so doctors could remove a bullet from his leg.
"I shake a lot and I'm scared," Alfredo Bautista said.
Another bullet hit a man's pillow, and one more narrowly missed an eight-year-old girl -- Alfredo Bautista's younger sister.
Alfredo Bautista
"I don't know why they did that," Alfredo Bautista said.
"Alfredo is 10 years old and he's shot by a bullet coming through a wall in his house. I think we have to do something to stop this type of violence," Hupy said.
Shooting in the 2000 block of W. Lapham Street
A 19-year-old man tells FOX6 News he was sleeping in the front apartment unit with his uncle and grandmother. Three shots went into his living room.
"The next thing I know is I just hear over a dozen gunshots come out of nowhere. I thought it was just a regular thing because this happens a lot. I woke up and there`s like holes in my house and I`m like what is going on? I felt panicking, nervous. I was mad, sad," the man said.
The man says one bullet hit his uncle's pillow.
"Any of us could have got shot. Any of us could of," the man said.
"Somebody knows what happened that night. Not just somebody -- multiple people. Multiple people do -- and it would be nice to come forward and say 'hey, we're not gonna accept that here in the city,'" Milwaukee Police Department Captain Alfonso Morales said.
Police say they have persons of interest in this case -- but there's not enough evidence against them for prosecution.
At least five firearms were used in this incident, according to police.
Additionally -- police say some of their persons of interest have ties to narcotics.
You may recall, Hupy also offered a $25,000 reward for information on the person who shot and killed five-year-old Laylah Petersen.
Laylah Petersen
Anyone with information about either case is asked to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-3813.