Public Safety Committee questions event organizers after fatal Washington Park shooting

Milwaukee (CBS 58) -- Organizers of a Juneteenth event faced questions from the city's Public Safety and Health committee. The shooting killed one teenager and left another injured. 

On Friday morning, This 4 the City organizers and city leaders discussed what security issues led to the fatal shooting. 

"This could have been prevented 10 times over," event organizer Vaun Mayes told the committee. 

Just before 9 p.m., the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office was called to Washington Park after reports of multiple fights. According to investigators, a plain clothes detective arrived on scene and saw a 17-year-old suspect open fire. One 17-year-old boy died at the hospital. He's now been identified as Sherrone Thornton Jr. A 15-year-old boy was also hurt.

"There were only two injured and one killed, only. That is a miracle. That could have been much, much worse," Ald. Scott Spiker told the committee. 

This 4 the City organizer Vaun Mayes says the event was held on a $25,000 budget with little coordination from local law enforcement. 

“It would’ve been nice to have this conversation during the planning. All this interest and people want to know details and help with it. That would’ve been nice," said Mayes. 

He says hundreds of people used a back entrance to enter the event without passing security checks. At one point, Mayes says roughly 5,000 people were at the event. 

“I don’t think we were assisted in being set up to be successful. I think we were almost kinda doing it with our hands tied behind our back, but at the end of the day, we did it," said Mayes. 

Ald. Spiker raised concerns, stating the event should have been cancelled if it wasn't equipped to handle the volume of people.

"I do question how on earth the county ever signed off on this permit for this park event," said Spiker. 

Ald. Sharlen Moore disagreed, calling events like This 4 the City necessary for Milwaukee's youth. 

"We can harness this, we can learn from it, and we can do better," said Ald. Moore.