Milwaukee Homicides Decrease, But Racial Minorities Are Disproportionately Victims

Milwaukee homicides are down about 20 percent from last year, but racial minorities are the majority of those being killed and wounded.

Milwaukee had 33 homicides a year ago at this time. As of Tuesday morning, the total was 26, but the city says 20 of the 26 victims were African Americans.

Three were Hispanic and three Caucasian. Of 145 people in the city wounded by guns so far this year, 132 (91 percent) are black. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says the racial disparity is a major concern.

“That’s a shocking number. And many times they’re victims, and the perpetrators are going to be people who look just like them – have the same demographic. We have to get that message of non-violence across even stronger.”

Barrett is promoting an annual Ceasefire Sabbath this Sunday, during which many Milwaukee pastors will speak against gun violence. Several inner-city groups are beginning a separate project focusing on the 53206 zip code, where many killings occur and the jobless rate is high.