Police: 2-year-old child shot in foot by brother in Milwaukee, father arrested



MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee police are investigating a shooting that happened Saturday morning, July 21. A 2-year-old child was injured in the shooting.

Police were called out to the area of 18th Street and North Avenue around 9:30 a.m. to investigate the shooting of the 2-year-old child.

The investigation revealed that the child’s 4-year-old brother retrieved a handgun and shot the 2-year-old in the foot. The 2-year-old sustained injuries not believed to be life-threatening, and was taken to the hospital.





The father of the 2-year-old child was arrested for leaving a firearm in reach of a child. It's unclear where in the home the firearm was located.

Reggie Moore



"We definitely encourage people to keep their firearm secure and out of the reach of children. The consequences can be deadly," said Reggie Moore, director of the City of Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention.

Moore said best practices when it comes to firearms include keeping the weapon locked away and out of reach of children. Gun locks should also be used, and ammunition should be kept separate from the firearm.

"If you have a friend or family member that you know owns a firearm -- to remind them, especially if there are children in the home or visiting the home, that it's kept in a secure location," said Moore.

Firearm safety





Miyanna Jelks



Moore's office partnered with other organizations to distribute gun locks near 38th and Ruby after a tragedy in March, when 9-year-old Miyanna Jelks was killed. A loaded gun was left within reach of Jelks and her siblings. Prosecutors say she was shot by her brother, and her parents, who weren't home at the time, were charged.

"As a community, we have to have a commitment to keep our children safe. If we can't do that as a society, then we are failing as a community," said Moore.

Charges against the father in this case will be presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office in the coming days, police said.

Meanwhile, according to the National Gun Violence Archive, almost 400 children under the age of 11 have been killed or injured by a gun so far this year.