Milwaukee baby girl fatally shot 1 week from 2nd birthday

MILWAUKEE - Zy'aire Nevels would've turned 2 years old on Saturday, June 10, but instead, her family is planning her funeral. Nevels was shot Saturday night, June 3 near 19th and Atkinson and died at Children's Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention says the area is a "hot spot" for violence. Hours after the shooting, which police said occurred during an argument between adults, "Milwaukee Promise Keepers" were in the neighborhood trying to build connections.

On doorsteps and sidewalks near 19th and Atkinson, Quinn Taylor said she knows the status quo cannot continue.

"Yeah, it's way too many guns out on the street," Taylor said.

Just after 8 p.m. Saturday, police say an argument between adults ended with a baby shot inside a vehicle. She was taken to a nearby firehouse and then transported to the hospital, where she died.

"It's hard to take," said Taylor. "It's hurtful, especially, seeing that – again, because of adult actions -- an innocent life, a child's life was lost. The main thing we want to do is protect the children, and again, we were unable to do that, so we take that personally."

Milwaukee Promise Keepers

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Working to build connections in the neighborhood, the Promise Keepers said they hope one family's pain isn't felt by another down the road.

"Our goal is to build hope, to let people know that they have our support and let them know that we won't continue to allow senseless activities like this to happen," Taylor explained. "It's time to put the guns down. It's time to start having conversations and stop reacting so quickly."

Milwaukee Promise Keepers

Milwaukee police said they know who they're looking for but would not say if any arrests have been made in this case.

The homicide rate is down significantly from this point in 2022, but that is little or no consolation to the family planning a baby's funeral.