Police in Wisconsin fatally shot an 18-year-old pregnant woman during a car theft chase, causing her to lose her baby.
At around 2:23 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, Milwaukee Police Department officers attempted a felony stop at N.17th Street and W. Vliet Street, related to two armed robbery carjackings, as stated by the department on Facebook.
During the chase on Interstate 43, the car became blocked by construction and a cement truck. When police ordered the suspects to exit, the driver reversed and struck a marked squad car. The driver then moved the car forward and backward, hitting a cop behind the car. At this point, another officer fired into the car, striking two suspects. The car contained six suspects in total.
A 17-year-old boy also sustained serious injuries, according to police. Both injured suspects were transported to local hospitals for treatment. The remaining suspects, aged 15 to 18, were treated for minor injuries.
In cases where an officer is involved in a shooting, the 25-year-old officer is placed on administrative duty, a standard procedure.
The police department’s Facebook post confirmed that a gun was found in the stolen car. However, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman stated during a news conference that it was unclear if the suspects had fired shots.
A local woman told ABC station WISN that she heard shots but couldn’t identify who fired first, describing the incident as overwhelming.
Chief Norman assured that the victims of the car thefts were unharmed. The thefts occurred prior to the chase at the 500 block of N. Broadway and the 500 block of N. Jefferson Street.
Addressing the situation, Norman highlighted the troubling behavior of young people in the city and urged parents and the community to guide children towards positive actions.
“This should never have happened. There are no winners in this situation,” he said. “Let’s take our kids and embrace them positively to engage in acceptable behaviors.”
The department mentioned that criminal charges would be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the West Allis Police Department, is conducting the investigation.
The DA’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further information on Friday.