Case of teen accused in Mayfair shooting reviewed in Children's Court
MILWAUKEE - The accused shooter involved in last Friday's Mayfair Mall shooting of eight people is having his case reviewed in Children's Court -- and because of that, police are not releasing a lot of information about him.
New information released by Wauwatosa police
However, Wauwatosa police released new information on the case on Monday, Nov. 23. They indicated the teenage suspect was arrested after a traffic stop conducted in the City of Milwaukee. The suspected weapon was recovered in that vehicle.
Also new -- three total arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Now in custody are the suspected shooter, another individual believed to be involved in the incident, and a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the suspected shooter's arrest. Investigators are working with the district attorney's office for all charging.
Officials also indicated it is not known if the Mayfair Mall shooting incident is "gang-related."
Teenage suspect in Children's Court
Meanwhile, back to the teenage suspect -- experts in the field of criminal defense say a lot of information in this investigation will be under seal unless the teen is waived into adult court.
FOX6 News has learned the teen's case is being reviewed in Children's Court. Attorney Jonathan LaVoy is a partner at the Kim and LaVoy law firm. He said there are only two charges where state law would automatically send a teen into adult court -- first-degree intentional homicide or attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Any other charges would require a petition.
Jonathan LaVoy
“Based on the severity of this case, I anticipate the prosecutors will file some sort of waiver petition asking the juvenile court to transfer jurisdiction into adult court," LaVoy said. "There’s a series of criteria that the court has to consider when assessing the juvenile to determine whether it’s appropriate to handle the matter in juvenile court or adult court."
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LaVoy said some of the criteria Children's Court will review will be whether the teen has a juvenile record. The court will also review the seriousness of the offense.
"If it remains in the juvenile system, it will remain sealed," LaVoy said. "If he is waived in adult court, then the identity of the juvenile will be made public."
Police did say during a news conference on Sunday that several people were also arrested in relation to the shooting. For now, officials said this was not a random act, but a dispute between two groups -- injuring four innocent bystanders.
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