MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is investigating eight separate shootings from Friday night through Sunday. One person was killed, and seven others were injured and taken to local hospitals, including three teenagers.
MPD data shows homicides so far this year are outpacing 2024 numbers. According to that data, there have been 15 homicides and 43 non-fatal shootings, as of May 15.
Two Milwaukee mothers are among the advocates working to stop this tragic trend.
Sheila Furlow lost her son, Jovan, four years ago.
“Some young men were actually shooting at different car inside of this parking lot,” Furlow said. “My son, who was driving in the street nearby, was getting ready to turn the corner and subsequently a bullet hit him.”
She said that losing a son to preventable and senseless gun violence is a pain that is hard to describe.
Tristaca Patrick-Yarbrough also knows that pain. Her son, Cory, was shot and killed three years ago.
“It’s been a really tough time for me, because grief, grief has different states,” Patrick-Yarbrough said. “I’m at a point in my life where it’s time to make a change. It’s time to do something.”
When the two mothers hear about shootings and violent weekends, they can’t help but get frustrated, because they know how many people are hurt by these crimes.
“There’s a lot of programming in the City of Milwaukee that claims to help — and I say that loosely. They get a lot of federal dollars, and they are really not out here doing anything,” Furlow said.
Spectrum News 1 contacted Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson to speak on the latest homicide numbers. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said Johnson’s schedule made it difficult to schedule an interview Monday. The office sent this statement:
“The Mayor is monitoring the increase in homicides when compared to last year. He has had discussions with police and the city’s Office of Community Wellness and Safety on this topic. Both departments are examining the data and adjusting their approaches as necessary. One data point is unusual in that the number of people who have been injured by gunfire is down significantly while, at the same time, the number of homicide victims is up when compared to the same time last year.”
According to the latest MPD data, there have been 39 fatal shootings so far in 2025, which is up from 33 at this time last year.
However, non-fatal shootings are down. There have been 178 so far this year, compared to 210 at this time last year.
Spectrum News 1 also requested an interview with MPD Chief Jeffrey Norman, but he was not available. MPD sent the following statement:
“Public safety is the Milwaukee Police Department’s number one priority. The Milwaukee Police Department is committed to working with our community and system partners to continue to build sustainable neighborhoods free of crime that are built on positive relationships.”
Furlow and Patrick-Yarbrough said they will continue to push for more to be done in honor of the sons they lost. They shared a desire to hold city and public safety leaders more accountable in coming up with real solutions, while also supporting families who are left going through the same pain they’ve endured.
“You never think about the fact that it could be you next,” Furlow said.
“I don’t want to just grieve my son. I want to advocate for other parents that are going through the same thing I’m going through,” Patrick-Yarbrough said.