"It's scary:" Man shot on highway forces I-43 southbound to close for hours; known suspect sought

MILWAUKEE -- A freeway shooting sent a man to the hospital and left drivers in an absolute mess. Part of I-43 southbound was completely shut down to traffic for hours on Friday, September 29th -- and investigators are now searching for a known suspect.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says shortly before 5:00 p.m., a man was shot and transported from the scene with reportedly non-life threatening injuries.

Southbound I-43 was shut down between Silver Spring Drive and North Avenue for about three and-a-half hours while deputies canvassed the area for evidence.

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

"Our investigators will pursue this subject and ensure that he is held accountable for his reckless behavior that endangered the lives of those on the freeway," said Acting Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt.

For people who drive the route every day, the situation was unsettling.

"I heard a lot of sirens headed towards the freeway," said Jocelyn Richards, who lives nearby. "Once I came out of the house, then that's when I saw all of the commotion."

Richards stood at an overpass at Keefe Avenue, watching it unfold. Just below, a squad was stopped on the open road and two other vehicles were pulled over as a couple of people sat on the side of the highway.

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

"It's sad, it's scary. We have a lot of children around here," said Richards.

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office shut down southbound I-43 for hours to investigate. One man was taken away by ambulance and rushed to the hospital.

"You just don't know when. It's broad daylight. It's night time," said Richards.

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

Just days ago, on September 25th, there was a similar investigation on I-43 near the Marquette Interchange.

"Why does it have to get to this point where you can't even ride home in peace," said a witness.

Now, it's a new investigation and new anxiety.

"You just have to keep your eyes open. You just never know," said Richards.

At least one witness says she did hear a loud boom on Friday. Investigators are still trying to piece together what happened.

Possible shooting on freeway forces I-43 SB to close near Capitol Drive

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.