Milwaukee police: Three arrested in wounding of 3-year-old girl struck by gunfire

Ashley Luthern | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Three people were arrested Thursday in the shooting of a 3-year-old who was hit by gunfire the night before while inside her home, Milwaukee police said.

Officers found six guns during the arrests and are sending the case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.

The shooting was one of four that occurred on the July Fourth holiday and overnight into Thursday.

The girl was wounded about 10:20 p.m. Wednesday on North 48th Street near West Fairmount Avenue.

The girl's father told WITI-TV (Channel 6) she was hit in the leg while sitting on a couch and she had been treated and released from the hospital. Three other children were in the house at the time.

"My 5-year-old, he said, 'My sister got shot' and she said, 'I got shot, Mommy,' " Eric Smith told the TV station.

"Never in a million years thought my child, any one of my children would say those words," he said. "That is a nightmare for me."

East side shooting

Milwaukee police also are investigating three other shootings from Wednesday, including one on the city's east side that left a 21-year-old man wounded.

Police say that shooting occurred on East North Avenue near North Oakland Avenue during an argument between two groups. No arrests have been reported as of Thursday, but police said they have a "named suspect," according to a news release.

Another shooting was reported about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday after a 35-year-old man was dropped off at a hospital with serious gunshot wounds. The location and circumstances are still being investigated, police said.

A fatal shooting was reported shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday when a 45-year-old man was shot on South 2nd Street near West Mitchell Street, according to police.

The circumstances remain under investigation, but Milwaukee police say his death is being treated as a homicide.