"A tough year for us:" Police Chief Ed Flynn addresses shootings of Bill Thao, Laylah Petersen

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee police say they are making progress in their investigation into the shooting that killed 13-month-old Bill Thao.

Bill Thao

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn told FOX6 News Monday, January 5th they have multiple persons of interest in the case in custody on unrelated charges.

Bill Thao was killed when bullets were fired into a home near 73rd and Mill on Saturday, December 27th. The Thao family was visiting relatives at the home when the shooting occurred.

Bill Thao died at the hospital.

Chief Flynn tells FOX6 News 2014 was the worst year he's seen when it comes to gun violence against children.

"Last year was a tough year for us. When it comes to children, we had five children murdered last year. For the first time since we've been recording it, the majority of them were killed with guns," Chief Flynn said.

Laylah Petersen

Flynn said out of those five deaths, three of the children were killed by strangers.

Chief Flynn also spoke of progress in the investigation involving five-year-old Laylah Petersen. Petersen was shot and killed when bullets were fired into a home near 58th and Fairmount. Petersen was sitting on her grandfather's lap.

Flynn says shell casings identified at the scene have been linked to several others in the city.

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest in the Laylah Petersen case. Anyone with information in either of these shooting cases is asked to  call police at (414) 935-7360.