Brother fatally shot 9-year-old girl, police say

A preliminary investigation into the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old girl Saturday revealed the victim’s brother accidentally shot her, Milwaukee police said Sunday in a news release.

Police said Miyanna D. Jelks was fatally shot inside a house on the north side. Her minor brother has been taken to the Milwaukee County Children’s Court Center.

Jelks’ parents, a 29-year-old Milwaukee woman and a 32-year-old Milwaukee man, were arrested on multiple charges, police said.

The case will be presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office in the coming days.

Jelks is the 14th homicide in the city of Milwaukee this year. According to MPD, 119 people were victims of homicide in 2017.

The child was shot shortly after noon inside a house in the 4500 block of N. 38th St., police said. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

The Rev. Alexis Twito, who oversees the Salvation Army’s interfaith chaplain program, said four chaplains were dispatched to the home to support family members.

“The entire city mourns the loss of such a precious young life,” said Reggie Moore, director of the city’s Office of Violence Prevention. “It is always heartbreaking when a preventable death or injury of a child occurs in our community. We also share concern for the brother and any other children that may have witnessed this tragic accident.”

Moore said Sunday the Trauma Response Team will be providing support to the family and neighborhood. The office also will be working with Milwaukee Public Schools to support friends and classmates of Jelks, he said.

At least seven children age 13 and younger have been fatally shot in Milwaukee since 2014, according to police records and news accounts. Those included 6-year-old Justin Evans Jr., who was shot in his grandmother’s yard last summer as he readied to go on a fishing trip with his stepdad.

Some of their parents or caregivers faced charges related to the shootings.

Wisconsin’s misdemeanor law applies to these types of shootings if an adult recklessly stores or leaves a loaded firearm within reach or easy access of a child; if the child obtains the firearm without permission of the owner, guardian or caretaker; and if the child fires the gun and causes bodily harm or death.

The law has exceptions if the gun had a trigger lock, was stored in a lockbox or if the gun was obtained by illegally entering a dwelling.