Milwaukee police hunt for suspect in double shooting following 2-year-old’s death

Authorities have identified a suspect in the shooting deaths of two people, including a driver who had just struck and killed a 2-year-old, Milwaukee police said Tuesday.

Authorities are searching for the male suspect, who is believed to have shot and killed 40-year-old Archie Brown. Jr. and 15-year-old Rasheed T. Chiles, who coroner’s officials identified as the toddler’s brother, according to Milwaukee police spokesman Mark Stanmeyer,

“We’re after that guy, we know who he is,” Police Chief Flynn told reporters at a news conference Tuesday. “If we need to share information we will. We’re going to clear up that homicide.”

Authorities didn’t release any details about the suspect.

According to police, Rasheed and 2-year-old Damani T. Terry were attending a party Sunday. The toddler ran into the street and was struck by Brown’s van about 5:10 p.m., police said.

Brown was “distraught about hitting the child, stopped and exited the van immediately,” witnesses told police officials, who called it an accident. Moments later, Brown and Rasheed were shot. Brown died at the scene, and Rasheed died at a hospital, police said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, at a news conference Monday, called the incident an “assassination.”

“Someone got angry, someone took a gun and basically assassinated this gentleman,” Barrett said. Witnesses reported that Brown “was grieving, he was upset, he was standing over the child,” he said.

“The total loss of control, total inability to control oneself in that setting led to two more tragic deaths,” Barrett said.

Flynn characterized the shooting as illustrative of the kind of arguments and fights that have fueled a number of gun-related deaths in recent weeks.

“We had some clown take the law into his own hands and murder a guy who was doing what we expect good citizens to do,” Flynn said.

Brown’s sister told The Times she believes her brother was killed in retaliation for the 2-year-old’s death.

“I forgive the shooter,” Qianna Brown told The Times Tuesday, adding that her faith has given her the strength to say those words. “I know my brother is in a better place.… My heart goes out to the mother who lost her two babies. She’ll never get to see her kids again.”

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