A pregnant 18-year-old was shot and lost her fetus when a Milwaukee police officer shot at a stolen vehicle linked to two carjackings that led police on a chase Thursday afternoon, the city’s police chief said.
A 17-year-old was also shot and injured in the highway incident.
During the chase, which began after police tried to pull him over, the stolen SUV became stuck in a construction zone and struck a police vehicle before the officer fired, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey B. Norman told reporters.
The 18-year-old was in life-threatening condition at a hospital and her unborn baby did not survive, Norman said.
A 17-year-old male was in serious condition, Norman said. He described them as suspects.
There were six people in the vehicle, Norman said, including the two who were shot.
A 15-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and another 18-year-old woman were also in the vehicle and were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, Norman said.
The police chase began around 2:20 p.m. and ended when the stolen vehicle entered a construction lane on Interstate 43 and was blocked by construction and a cement truck, Norman said. A Milwaukee police officer gave the order to stop and let the people inside leave, he said.
“The suspected driver reversed and collided with a marked police car. The suspected driver drove forward and then reversed. An officer was behind the vehicle at the time,” Norman said.
“At that point, another officer discharged his firearm into the vehicle, striking two suspects,” he said.
The police officer who fired was not identified; Norman said he is a 25-year-old man with more than four years of service. He will be assigned to an administrative role, which Norman said is routine after a shooting.
West Allis police are leading the investigation, he said.
Norman said a firearm was found in the stolen vehicle. He said the roles of the people in the vehicle were also being investigated.
Norman said any body-worn video would be released “soon.”
All six people in the vehicle were arrested and charges were forwarded to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, police said. None of them have been publicly identified.
The shooting resulted in the complete closure of a portion of the highway, which runs north and south through Milwaukee and the area.
Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention in about three weeks. Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, recently came under fire after reports emerged that he called Milwaukee “a terrible city” during a meeting with Republicans in the House of Representatives.
According to police data, carjackings in Milwaukee have been on the rise lately, increasing 16% from 2022 to 2023, from 398 to 463. They are up 12% this year compared to last year.
Norman said more needs to be done in Milwaukee to keep youth 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 kids? People in our community, how do we help our kids keep positive behavior, instead of what we see today?” Norman said.
“This should never have happened,” he said. “This is unacceptable, and anyone who hears this should be shocked and angry.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
