Multiple Shootings Near Milwaukee NBA Arena in the US... 20 Injured

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] On the night of the 13th (local time), during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, two shooting incidents occurred near the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, injuring a total of 20 people. Milwaukee is one of the U.S. cities where shooting homicides occur most frequently, along with Philadelphia and Indianapolis, with 180 people shot to death last year.

According to the AP and other sources on the 14th, the first shooting took place around 9:10 p.m. just outside the Deer District, where the Bucks' home arena, the Fiserv Forum, is located. Three injured individuals, including a 30-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl, are receiving treatment at a hospital.

The Deer District is one of Milwaukee's entertainment districts with many bars and restaurants. At the time, about 11,000 Milwaukee fans who could not enter the arena were watching the game on outdoor screens. Two hours later, at 11 p.m., a second shooting occurred a few blocks away, resulting in 17 injuries.

Both shootings happened shortly after Milwaukee lost to Boston 95-108. Milwaukee, leading the series 3-2, could have secured a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals at home if they had won Game 6. Witnesses told Milwaukee local broadcaster WTMJ-TV that a fight broke out outside a bar after the basketball game ended.

The police announced that they arrested 10 people and confiscated 9 firearms in connection with the incidents. All the injured are reported to be in stable condition.

AP reported that Milwaukee, along with Philadelphia and Indianapolis, is one of the U.S. cities with the highest rates of shooting homicides since the spread of COVID-19. Last year, 193 people were murdered in Milwaukee, with police reporting that 180 of those deaths were due to shootings. The number of shooting injuries reached 873.