Racine homicide: Woman stabs boyfriend, domestic violence uptick
MILWAUKEE - A 25-year-old man is dead following a stabbing in Racine on Monday, Sept. 2, and a woman has been arrested.
22-year-old Shitareia Johnson is accused of stabbing and killing her boyfriend. The two shared two children.
Shitareia Johnson
Prosecutors say Johnson stabbed the victim for cheating on her.
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Kalon Fleming works with the Asha Project, a community-based program for victims of domestic abuse, in Milwaukee.
"It’s scary," Fleming said. "The deaths lately are heart-wrenching and horrific. Children are being left without mothers. Children are being left without fathers."
The Asha Project
Fleming said she herself is a survivor.
"I was 21 and I left when I was 35," she said. "It took my son when he was 13. He announced to the doctor he didn’t feel safe at home and that’s what it took me to leave."
According to police, officers were dispatched to a residence near 17th and Howe shortly before 11 a.m. for an assault in progress. When police arrived at the scene, they spoke with Johnson, who told officers that she had stabbed her boyfriend. The victim succumbed to his injuries while in surgery.
Racine homicide: Woman stabs boyfriend, man dies during surgery
A 25-year-old man is dead following a stabbing in Racine on Monday, Sept. 2. A woman has been arrested.
Johnson was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide.
Post-pandemic, she said there has been a surge in young people involved in domestic violence.
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"Yes, we are seeing an uptick in younger victims involved in domestic violence and perpetrators being young well," she said. "What I’ve noticed is our hotline is ringing off the hook with 19-year-olds saying hey my boyfriend is hitting me or we are seeing they are taking their cell phones or their money."
The Sojourner Family Peace Center said there have been at least 24 domestic violence-related deaths so far this year in Milwaukee County.
Fleming said fixing the problem starts with educating the younger generation on the dangers of toxic relationships, from the classroom to social media.
"This is so important because people’s lives are at stake," she said. "We’re trying to save lives here."
Fleming said if you or someone you know needs help, call 2-1-1, or contact the Asha Project directly.