Milwaukee boy recounts being in car during chase; driver arrested for allegedly shooting 12-year-old
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A 12-year-old boy is hurt and a 33-year-old woman is in custody after authorities say a shooting investigation Friday night ended with a car chase involving several children.
Jeremy Smith Sr. lives just a block away from 60th and Silver Spring, where he says his son was with friends around 6 p.m. Friday night.
Eight-year-old Jeremy Smith Jr. told CBS 58 he and his friends were selling water bottles on the corner near Family Dollar when another boy approached them, tried to steal the water, and started bullying them.
The boys ran as the other child briefly chased them, and Smith Jr. said one boy called his mother.
"The mom came, put all the kids in the car, went to go look for the bully, and unfortunately emotion took over," Jeremy's father explained.
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, the 33-year-old woman fired a gun at the 12-year-old boy, hitting him, and drove away. Police said the boy sustained non-fatal injuries.
Jeremy said he was in the backseat of the woman's car at the time, sharing seatbelts with three other children between the ages of 7 and 12.
"My son said she was going to drop them off, and when the police got behind her, it kind of just went from there," Smith Sr. said.
Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office deputies found her driving near Meinecke and Richards and a chase ensued.
"We was all telling her to stop, stop the car, but she just wouldn't listen," Smith Jr. said. "It was just scary, the way she was driving. I thought we were [gonna] crash."
After almost 20 minutes, stop-sticks deployed by officers blew the car's tires near 12th and Center.
A video obtained by CBS 58 shows the woman get out of the car. Deputies tackle her, then pull the four children out of the backseat.
Smith Jr. said he and his friends are okay, but they were shaken up.
"Everybody's head was hurting from like, when they were telling her to stop," he said.
The boy's father said this has been a lesson for both himself and his son.
"Not to get too comfortable. I feel like in this position, if I was there, this would have never happened. So, I think I kind of got comfortable with the neighborhood," Smith Sr. said. "And the lesson for him, is at least, always - no matter what - let your dad know where you're at."
Jeremy's father said he didn't know the woman who was arrested, but his son had met her before. He plans to keep his son busy with activities and seek therapy for him to address any trauma from the incident.
Charges for the 33-year-old woman have been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.