"What in the world is going on?!" Anger, concern after shots fired at Milwaukee fire station



MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan and others reacted with anger and concern after a Milwaukee Fire Department station near Teutonia and Locust was shot at on Sunday, April 23rd. A bullet penetrated the window of Station 30 during the shots fired incident.

It happened around 6:45 p.m. as the firefighters at Station 30 were getting dispatched to a car fire.

"A very loud noise was heard on the north end of the station," Aaron Lipski, MFD deputy chief said.

Aaron Lipski



Firefighters reported hearing that loud noise, but in the rush of responding to the fire call, they didn't have time to investigate the cause of that noise. When they returned, they found shattered glass and the punctured window.

"I think it's real dangerous. They ain't doing nothing but trying to help the community. I feel like it's their job to protect us. I've been around here my whole life, this same block. Ain't nothing ever happen like that round here so it's like, shocking to the community. Little kids, anything could have happened. The community just needs to calm down, be safe. It's just crazy," a neighbor said.

Police said they do not believe the station was the intended target. No one was hurt at the station, and no equipment was damaged.



Bullet penetrates window of MFD station



MPD is investigating a report of three shots being fired in the area.

In February, a similar situation unfolded at the fire station near 30th and Locust. Several shots were fired into that station -- at least six in all. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

PHOTO GALLERY



"I think for everyone looking at this, they are in total disbelief that someone would be so careless or cruel to fire toward a building that houses the people who are there to save our lives," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett



Mayor Barrett said he will be working with police and firefighters on how to stay as safe as possible.

"Please, please, please help us stop this. Please help us stop this," Lipski said.

Alderman Bob Donovan



Donovan released this statement on the latest shots fired incident impacting MFD:

"For the second time in just over eight weeks, someone has fired shots at a Milwaukee Fire Department engine house. This time it was Engine 30/Ladder 12 near N. Teutonia Ave. and W. Locust St.

And again, I am having an incredibly hard time processing this incident. Who the hell would do such a thing? These MFD personnel are there to serve the neighborhood and our city, and they’re putting their lives on the line for our citizens!

And why are people firing guns on our streets so openly, and so brazenly?

We just lost a longtime, dedicated and well-known city employee – Greg “Ziggy” Zyszkiewicz – when he was gunned down while on the job last month. And now someone is deliberately shooting at one of our manned engine houses, again?

My good wishes go out to the MFD personnel at the engine house, as it is by the sheer grace of God that no one was hurt in the incident.

We need some imperative steps immediately from our city leaders to restore order in our most challenged neighborhoods. The time to step up is now!

We’ve been experiencing gunfire at night and other crimes in neighborhoods that have never had those issues before. What in the world is going on?

It has been almost a year that the Public Safety Committee held special hearings and the Council then issued a multi-pronged public safety plan. I believe it’s time for that plan to be embraced and to be implemented.

If it is not, I fear what we will be seeing in our neighborhoods this summer."