MILWAUKEE — Over this past weekend in Milwaukee, seven shootings took place over a six-hour time span, according to police.

Milwaukee police said they are still looking for suspects in the seven shootings. According to investigators, the first shooting was just before 10 p.m. Saturday on the north side. The sixth shooting, was around 4 a.m. on the south side.

In total, eight people were shot across Milwaukee. All the victims are expected to survive.

What You Need To Know

  • Milwaukee police said they are still looking for suspects in the seven shootings that took place in a six-hour span

  • Despite the surge in violence over the weekend, data from Milwaukee Police shows non-fatal shootings are down 37%

  • Hamilton said he hopes more youth and their families can turn to the dozens of programs and organizations across the city that are designed to intervene before violence like this happens

  • Moore said through 414Life, they have been able to mediate around 250 high risk conflicts within the city from 2018 to 2022

Milwaukee Police said in a statement to Spectrum News: “Public safety is the Milwaukee Police Department’s number one priority. We are committed to working with our community and system partners to help build sustainable healthy neighborhoods, free of crime and maintained by positive relationships.”

Despite the surge in violence over the weekend, data from Milwaukee Police shows non-fatal shootings are down 37%. At this point last year there were 81 shootings, in 2024 there are only 51 so far.

However, homicides are up in the early part of the year from nine in 2023, compared to 15 in the same time frame in 2024. The city’s Office of Community Wellness and Safety’s director, Ashanti Hamilton, said the warmer weather plays a role in violence in the city, and he’s frustrated to see youth being involved in a violent crime like this.

“It is alarming that we had so many youth involved in shootings over the weekend,” Hamilton said. “Warm weather often brings a lot of activity, but this amount across the board is something we have to pay attention to and get in front of.”

Hamilton said he hopes more youth and their families can turn to the dozens of programs and organizations across the city that are designed to intervene before violence like this happens.

“We want to encourage the people that are in those young people’s lives to actually take steps in getting them assistance, and actually helping to intervene in these conflicts,” said Hamilton. “Don’t allow them to continue to fester, because it can cause a life.”

Below are a list of organizations that Hamilton’s office connects with to help people within the community. 

  • The Office of Violence Prevention can be reached at (414) 286-5468
  • 414Life can be reached at (414) 439-5525
  • The Promise Keepers can be reached at (414) 286-5417

The Medical College of Wisconsin is just one of the local hospital systems involved in violence prevention. They are part of the program 414Life, which is a violence interruption team that works alongside medical professionals.

Reggie Moore, director of the Division of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement for the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said through their partnerships with civic and community organizations they are hoping to reduce these types of crime statistics from this past weekend.

“The injury and death of young people within our community is still too high,” Moore said. “So really, honing in and focusing and being what we call 'surgical' around what are the programs, opportunities and resources that we need to engage young people in to reduce the risk or likelihood.”

Moore said through 414Life, they have been able to mediate around 250 high risk conflicts within the city from 2018 to 2022.

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