CRIME

Teen girl among recent homicide victims in Milwaukee

Ashley Luthern
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee police released the names of two recent homicide victims, including a 14-year-old girl who was shot and killed last week.

A Milwaukee police squad car.

The deaths bring the number of homicide victims to 19 so far this year, more than double the number of victims at this time last year, according to preliminary data maintained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The two most recent victims in the city died within a 24-hour period last week.

Chrisima M. Murry, 14, was shot during a fight shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday in the 5000 block of W. Fairmount Ave., according to Milwaukee police. Initial reports indicated she was in her 20s but the information was updated once authorities positively identified her.

A second shooting was reported about 2 p.m. Friday in the 2600 block of N. 57th St. Jamel E. Jenkins, 25, was shot to death while sitting in a vehicle, police said.

Both investigations are ongoing and police are seeking suspects, a department spokesman said Monday.

RELATED: As another violent year ends, memories of homicide victims live on

Milwaukee has struggled recently with elevated homicide rates, seeing a sharp uptick in 2015 with 146 homicides, and the trend continued last year with 141 homicides recorded. A recent Wall Street Journal report noted homicide rates in Milwaukee, Chicago, Baltimore and Memphis have returned to levels last seen in the 1990s and quoted an expert who said drug markets likely are playing a role in those cities.

Milwaukee's per capita homicide rate for 2015 was 24.18 per 100,000 residents — a lower rate than the 26.27 per 100,000 residents in 1991 — and dipped slightly last year to 23.5 per 100,000 residents.

Police officials here have cited easy access to firearms and a willingness to use them to settle disputes or arguments as one key factor in the climbing homicide rates. Arguments or fights were the motive in 31% of homicides last year, according to Police Department data. The second leading motive was domestic violence, which accounted for 11% of homicides.

Experts have long said homicides and other violent crimes are often concentrated among tight networks of people and places disproportionately affected by larger, underlying problems such as poverty, segregation and limited opportunity. Other studies also have suggested deteriorating police-community relations could play a role, as well.