A pregnant 18-year-old woman was shot and lost her unborn baby when a Milwaukee police officer opened fire on a stolen vehicle linked to two carjackings that led to a police pursuit Thursday afternoon, according to the Milwaukee Police Chief.
A 17-year-old boy was also shot and injured in the interstate incident.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey B. Norman told reporters that during a pursuit that began with police trying to pull over a car, the stolen SUV became trapped in a construction site and crashed into a police vehicle before officers opened fire.
The 18-year-old woman was in life-threatening condition at the hospital and the fetus did not survive, Norman said.
Norman said a 17-year-old male was in serious condition and described them as suspects.
There were six people in the car, including the two who were shot, Norman said.
Also in the car — a 15-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and another 18-year-old woman — were taken to hospital with minor injuries, Norman said.
The police pursuit began about 2:20 p.m. and ended when the stolen vehicle entered a construction lane on Interstate 43 and was blocked by road construction and a cement truck, Norman said. Milwaukee police officers ordered the vehicle to stop and asked people inside to exit the vehicle, he said.
“The suspect driver backed up his vehicle and struck a marked patrol vehicle. The suspect driver drove forward and then backed up his vehicle. An officer was behind the vehicle at that time,” Norman said.
“At this time, another officer fired his firearm into the vehicle, striking both suspects,” he said.
The identity of the officer who fired the shots has not been released, but Norman said the officer was 25 years old and had more than four years of service. The officer will be placed on administrative duty, which Norman said is standard following a shooting.
West Allis police are leading the investigation, he said.
Norman said a firearm was recovered from the stolen vehicle and that the role of the people who were in the vehicle is also under investigation.
Norman said the body worn video would be released “soon.”
All six occupants of the vehicle were arrested and charged by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, police said. The suspects’ identities have not been released.
The shooting caused the complete closure of part of a north-south highway that runs through Milwaukee and the surrounding area.
Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention in about three weeks, and its leading candidate, former President Donald Trump, has come under fire recently after reports surfaced that he called Milwaukee a “bad city” during a meeting with House Republicans.
Police data shows Milwaukee has seen a recent rise in carjackings, with a 16% increase from 2022 to 2023, from 398 to 463. The cumulative total from last year to this year is up 12%.
Norman said Milwaukee needs to do more to keep young people involved in positive activities. He called Thursday’s situation “unacceptable” and said there is no reason for young people to have guns.
“Parents, what’s going on with your children? Our communities, how are we helping our kids continue to have positive behaviors and not the situations we’re seeing today?” Norman said.
“This should never have happened. This is unacceptable. Anyone who hears this should be appalled and outraged,” he said.
