Tragedy Strikes Milwaukee: 13-Year-Old Girl Fatally Shot on West Vliet Street Milwaukee, WI — July 17, 2025
The Milwaukee community is reeling after yet another heartbreaking act of gun violence took the life of a young girl. Around the evening hours of Thursday, emergency services were dispatched to the 3200 block of West Vliet Street, where a 13-year-old female was found suffering from a gunshot wound to her flank. Despite rapid response efforts from first responders and medical personnel, the young victim tragically succumbed to her injuries, marking yet another life lost to senseless violence.
Milwaukee Fire Department’s Engine 32 and Med Unit 8 (E32/M8) were first on scene after the shooting was reported. Officers with the Milwaukee Police Department secured the area as paramedics administered emergency care to the girl before transporting her to a nearby trauma center. Medical teams worked tirelessly, but the severity of the gunshot wound proved too much to overcome.
Authorities have confirmed that the incident resulted in one fatality—the 13-year-old girl whose life was cut short far too soon. Her identity has not yet been publicly released, pending notification of her family. Investigators remain on the scene gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses in what they describe as an active and ongoing investigation.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear. It is not yet known whether the girl was the intended target or caught in the crossfire of yet another tragic burst of violence in the city. Detectives are currently working to piece together the events that led up to the shooting and identify any possible suspects.
As word of the incident spread, neighbors and community members gathered near the scene, many expressing their grief, frustration, and fear. “She was just a child,” one resident said tearfully. “She didn’t deserve this. No kid does. This has to stop.”
Community leaders and anti-violence advocates are once again calling for urgent action. The death of a 13-year-old adds to a devastating pattern of youth violence that continues to grip Milwaukee. Schools, churches, and youth organizations are pledging renewed efforts to provide safe spaces, mentoring, and outreach, but all agree: more must be done to keep children safe.
The Milwaukee Police Department is urging anyone with information to come forward. Tipsters can contact MPD directly or reach out anonymously through Milwaukee Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS. Every lead could be the key to bringing justice to a grieving family and preventing another tragedy.
The death of this young girl leaves behind not only a grieving family, but also a community once again forced to mourn the loss of innocence. As flowers, candles, and stuffed animals begin to line the sidewalk on West Vliet Street, Milwaukee reflects on the devastating cost of gun violence and the urgent need for change.
Rest in peace, sweet angel. Your life mattered. You were loved. You will never be forgotten.