Friendly Fire in Milwaukee

Add another chapter to the story of senseless violence in Milwaukee.

This one isn't nearly as sensational as the sexual assault case of the 11-year-old girl by as many as twenty people.

So, it's just a little blurb in the media. It's run-of-the-mill stuff.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A 15-year-old Milwaukee boy became the city's 79th homicide victim of the year when he was shot and killed about 11:15 p.m. Saturday in the 3700 block of N. 16th St., police said.

The boy was with a group of people between two houses that opened fire on several other people sitting on a porch on the opposite side of the street, police Capt. Michael Young said.

"He was shot by one of his own people," Young said.

A 15-year-old accidentally gets killed by one of his buddies when they started shooting at another group of people across the street.

It was a "friendly fire" incident.

Apparently, the gun didn't know that the bullet was not meant for the 15-year-old boy.

Given that so many believe guns are responsible for violence in the city, I think it's fair to consider the gun responsible for the misdirected shots.

What an irresponsible gun!

A 28-year-old man who had been on the porch received two bullet wounds, one in the chest and one in the buttocks, Young said. The man was in critical condition Sunday morning.

What a lucky guy!

Critical condition is a lot better than dead.

Remember this violence is not to be construed as indicative of a crisis in Milwaukee.

It's business as usual.

That's exactly the sort of attitude that allows the violence in the city to thrive.

Playing down the crisis won't do anything to save lives. To some, saving the city's reputation is more important.

From the Associated Press:

Several civic leaders have lashed out at Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., calling his remark earlier this week that Milwaukee "is rapidly becoming the murder capital of the U.S" untrue and harmful.

But the congressman insisted Thursday it was accurate.

"The comment is not true," said Doug Neilson, president and chief executive officer of Visit Milwaukee, the city's convention and tourism bureau. "In fact, our homicide rate has gone down to date compared to last year. ... It doesn't help our economic development efforts to bring tourists and businesses to the region when we have negative and untrue statements being made by public officials."

Dean Amhaus, president of Spirit of Milwaukee, a group that seeks to promote the city, said: "To digress into this kind of name-calling is distressing, especially for a congressman who represents this area."

Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, a business-led civic organization, said the city has crime problems, "but to say that we're becoming the murder capital of the U.S. is damaging. It's inflammatory."

"Certainly the congressman's comments could have a very chilling effect on what we're trying to do to build our region. I also don't think they're accurate," she added.

It's insane to think that Sensenbrenner's comment is damaging to the city, as if his statement is the problem.

Surrendering areas of the city to thugs is the problem.

What's really damaging is the appalling deficit of leadership in Milwaukee.