Milwaukee police: Father arrested after 4-year-old gets hold of a gun, shoots 2-year-old in the foot

Ashley Luthern | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A Milwaukee father was arrested after a 4-year-old boy shot a 2-year-old in the foot, police said Monday.

The father of the toddler is accused of leaving a firearm within reach of a child, according to a police news release.

The shooting happened about 9:30 a.m. Saturday at a home on North 18th Street near West North Avenue. The toddler was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Charges will be presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office within a few days, police said.

The shooting is at least the second time this year a child in Milwaukee has found a gun and fired it with serious consequences.

In March, 9-year-old Miyanna Jelks was shot by her 10-year-old brother in an accidental shooting.

She died from her injuries.

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Miyanna and her brother were home alone with four younger siblings — including a toddler — when the shooting occurred, police said. Officers later found a red gun lock, unused, in the house.

Their parents had left the house for about 30 to 45 minutes to go shopping for clothes, according to a criminal complaint.

Her parents are scheduled for separate jury trials next month on child neglect and other charges.

In 2016, an investigation by the USA TODAY Network and The Associated Press found, on average, children under age 12 die from gun accidents in the United States about once a week.

In their analysis of accidental shootings causing injuries or death, Wisconsin fell in the middle of the rankings for states, near the national average of 3.4 incidents per million people.

Free gun locks

The City of Milwaukee, in partnership with the nonprofit WestCare Wisconsin, offers free gun locks.

The gun locks can be picked up at WestCare, 335 W. Wright St., and all three Health Department clinics located at 3200 N. 36th St., 7630 W. Mill Road and 1639 S. 23rd St.

Samantha West of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.