Racine gun violence 'bad,' neighbors describe 'war zone'

RACINE, Wis. - Racine's mayor says reducing gun violence is a top priority after police had a busy weekend. It's not just people taking bullets.

"I, never in my life would think that, you know, we’d be living in, basically, a war zone right now," said Renee Kelly. 

Racine leaders say gun violence is dramatically increasing. On Sunday night, June 12, police responded to the neighborhood near St. Patrick and Geneva Street for reports of gunshots.  Police found 35 spent casings and a home that was hit. A 30-year-old man was shot.

"The gun violence – it’s bad," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation.

A few blocks away from the Sunday shooting scene, he woke up to noise outside.

"A lot of commotion, squealing the tires, things of that nature," he said. 

It's what he found in the morning that was truly a nightmare.

"The bullet had came from a distance," he said. "Just to see a bullet lodged in your bedroom window, that’s pretty frightening."

He wasn't sure where the bullet came from.

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"It has to end at some point," he said. "There shouldn’t be no more bloodshed for nothing. It's ridiculous."

Those aren't the only homes in Racine hit by bullets in June alone.

"My home actually ended up taking over 12 bullet holes to it," said Kelly. "Thousands of dollars of damage to the home."

Kelly said her place was shot up during the incident at Graceland Cemetery June 2. Two people were shot during the burial ceremony for Da'Shontay King who was shot and killed by police in May.
Kelly's son was home at the time.

"I saw like, glass, tile everywhere, all around the kitchen," said Evan Kelly.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason said the city started hiring more police officers and investing more in Neighborhood Watch as just a few steps taken towards curbing the violence.

"I think residents should know that the city hears the residents loud and clear that this is our number one priority," said Mason.

The Racine Neighborhood Watch group scheduled a meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 15 to discuss the violence. Neighbors are encouraged to come forward with concerns.