'It's pitiful:' Kenosha and Racine police respond to multiple shootings in a week's time
KENOSHA/RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Police have been responding to several shootings in Racine and Kenosha this week.
Surveillance video outside of Moe Moe’s Liquor on 52nd Street in Kenosha show shots being fired.
Francisco Cruz lives across the street and was woken up by the gunfire.
“I hear like people screaming and a minute after that it was like start shooting,” Cruz said.
The shooting is one of four that took place in Kenosha overnight Tuesday, May 26 into Wednesday, May 27.
Police confirmed the incidents happened on these blocks:
- 5400 block of 31st Avenue
- 2700 block of Roosevelt Road
- 1900 block 52nd Street
- 6100 block of 11th Avenue
A 21-year old man and a 22-year old woman, both from Kenosha, were shot in separate shootings. Both are expected to survive. Police say in each shooting cars and homes were also hit by bullets. Officers recovered more than a dozen firearms during their investigations so far.
On Monday in Racine, three men were shot in separate shootings. Police said their injuries appear to be non-life threatening. One male suspect was arrested. At another shooting scene, officers found 24 spent casings. From Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, Racine police responded to seven more shots fired calls.
"It’s pitiful especially with the coronavirus, you have to stay in the house, kids don’t have anything do,” Maurice Gardner, Racine resident, said. “Summertime…things are going to get hectic.”
While it is unclear if any of the recent violence has involved area-youth, the Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha is alarmed by this increase in violence.
“A lot of kids that need a safe place to go like a Boys and Girls Club or a school summer camp or program don’t have that luxury because of the pandemic,” Jake McGhee, Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha CEO, said.
Despite COVID-19, the Boys and Girls Club is still working on getting their Summer Youth Employment program up and running to keep at-risk kids off of the streets and are encouraging parents to use this extra time at home to spend with their children.
“Make sure you know where they are, make sure you know what they’re doing, and spend this time building a relationship and interacting with your kids,” McGhee said.