More Murder in Milwaukee, 19 Shootings Since Friday

UPDATE: Make that at least 20 shootings since Friday.

Police said another fatal shooting occurred late Wednesday on Capitol Drive. The Journal Sentinel's online crime map indicates a shooting was reported at 10:44 p.m. near the intersection of W. Capitol Dr. and N. Sherman Blvd.

Police have not yet provided details on the second Wednesday shooting, and neither victim has been publicly identified.

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Milwaukee is having a violent, deadly summer.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

An employee shot during a robbery Tuesday at a Family Dollar store on Milwaukee's south side was one of eight people wounded by gunfire in the city within 24 hours and one of 18 shot since Friday.

The shooting was reported at 3:30 p.m. at the store at 4331 W. Oklahoma Ave. A 44-year-old man suffered a life-threatening injury, according to Milwaukee police.

Details on the seven other shootings here.

Wednesday was deadly as well.

Another Milwaukee murder:

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn has confirmed a fatal shooting in the 7600 block of 78th St. near Calumet on Wednesday, August 7th around 4:15 p.m. The victim is a 26-year-old man.

Initial investigation shows the incident started as a verbal argument that escalated to property damage and a physical fight. The shooting suspects left the area before returning and shooting the victim.

“Obviously it’s frustrating. The largest percentage of our homicides this summer have been arguments that, basically, went from words, to fists, to guns,” said Chief Flynn. “We’ve got a circumstance where there are people out here that are heavily armed, that engage in the confrontations with each other, that are willing to use firearms.”

This incident happened just hours after Chief Flynn and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett held a press conference addressing the rash of shootings Milwaukee has faced recently. Among the announcements made were $500,000 dedicated to police overtime.

...Mayor Barrett has asked to be notified each time there is a homicide in Milwaukee. The call for this incident was his 51st notification this year.

“We’ll figure it out and we’ll get to the bottom of it,” declared Chief Flynn.

Flynn and Barrett are not going to "figure it out," they're not going to "get to the bottom of it," if they both keep blaming state government and a lack of legislation for the violence.

The bloodshed in Milwaukee in June and July of 2006 was worse, when Jim Doyle was the governor. There was no Scott Walker state budget then.

I'm disappointed in Flynn. He's become a Barrett hack. He's abandoned the Broken Windows Theory and latched on to Barrett-style finger-pointing and passing the buck and impotence in terms of leadership.

They're literally blaming Governor Scott Walker for the mess in Milwaukee. They're saying lives are being lost because Walker is failing to act.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Walker spoke just a few hours after Barrett and Flynn held a news conference at City Hall asking the governor to act as soon as possible. Saying lives were being lost in the interim, Barrett called on the governor to call a special session. But Walker indicated that the Legislature was scheduled to return next month anyway and could take up the issue then.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Barrett also released a letter he and Flynn sent to Walker, asking for the state's help. In the letter, they said the violent incidents in the city are "extremely concerning, especially considering actions taken in the recent state budget which reduce state resources specifically targeted to reduce violence in Milwaukee."

This really ticks me off.

Violence is spreading throughout the city and Barrett and Flynn blame the state budget.

Blame the guns, inanimate objects. Blame Walker's budget. Blame a lack of legislation.

I'd like Barrett and Flynn to take some responsibility instead of playing politics to avoid accountability for their failures.

The city should be allocating its funds to make public safety a priority, not shaking down the state for cash. Money from the state won't address the judges employing the revolving door system. It won't address the citizens refusing to cooperate with police, making them accomplices of sorts to the thug culture.

...The entire police budget totaled $237.5 million this year, $1.3 million more than the year before.

Two years ago after a melee at the Wisconsin State Fair left 11 people hurt and resulted in 33 arrests, Walker ordered the Wisconsin State Patrol to assist police on the grounds. Asked if he was considering such a request to assist the Milwaukee Police Department this summer, Barrett said, "I'm not asking for that right now."

"We have men and women who can do the job," he said. "We need more boots on the ground."

Milwaukee needs leadership, not excuses.

Milwaukee desperately needs a new mayor.