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Milwaukee shooting, 16-year-old killed; neighbors, officials respond
Milwaukee police are investigating a shooting on the city's north side that killed a 16-year-old. Family now is wondering why.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police are investigating a shooting on the city's North Side that took the life of a 16-year-old.
Neighbors shaken up
What they're saying:
Neighbors in the area said they are still shaken up by the shooting that ended the life of a teen Thursday morning, a reality a community activist said needs to stop.
"Honestly it's sad. Especially because he was so young," Lexy Reed, a neighbor, said.
It is the sentiment felt in the North Side neighborhood after a 16-year-old was shot and killed near 40th Street and Clarke Street Thursday morning. Family identified him as Armani Thomas-Cotton.
"Things like that don't happen over here so it's unfortunate," Reed said.
Armani Thomas-Cotton (Photo provided by family)
Reed lives just feet away from where the shooting happened.
"As mom my heart does go out to his mom, to his parents," Reed said.
Investigators say a person in a vehicle fired at the teen around 9:33 a.m.
"It's terrible when violence happened in the city," Reed said.
While still processing the tragedy in her neighborhood, Reed thinks of her children's safety.
"When is somebody so young and they have a whole life ahead of him that's even more tragic," Reed said.
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From Jan. 1 to Aug. 12, Milwaukee police have reported six juvenile homicides in 2026, compared to 16 reported during the same time frame in 2025.
40th and Clarke, Milwaukee
"My heart has been more heavy than you know like you know cause you know I've seen so much violence," Tracey Dent said.
It is a reality community activists like Dent say he and other groups are trying to crack down on.
"We're gonna start going school to school and create a peace ambassadors, cause a lot of violence happens when adults are not around," Dent, a community activist, said.
Dent says this is one of the many efforts he and other organizations are looking into providing to help reduce violence in the city and keep the youth safe.
"People are there are on the front line. We are the ones who can really make the difference," Dent said.
Neighbors like Reed think about the family and leave this message: "It gotta be safer you know like let's think before we act irrational."
Milwaukee homicide near 40th and Clarke; 16-year-old dead
A 16-year-old was shot and killed Thursday morning, Aug. 13, near 40th and Clarke in Milwaukee.
At Milwaukee Police Headquarters, police have not arrested anyone in connection to this homicide. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or call the Crime Stoppers hotline to submit an anonymous tip.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Abril Preciado and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Lexy Reed, family members, investigators, the Milwaukee Police Department, Tracey Dent and Crime Stoppers.