Milwaukee, WI
'The price tag is sobering': New study estimates each fatal shooting in Milwaukee costs taxpayers $2.1 million
MILWAUKEE — After a recent report of a deadly shooting in Milwaukee, we received an email from a viewer named Mario.
He wrote in part, “The tragedy of a shooting is much greater than the financial cost, but people pay attention to the costs because that affects them personally.”
Our Lighthouse team did some digging and found a brand new study with a staggering figure.
“If there are 200 approximately homicides in the city of Milwaukee every year and two to three times that many non-fatal shootings, the cumulative cost to residents of Milwaukee taxpayers who live in the city is exponential,” she said.
Rabinowitz is the research director at the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR). For the first time, it recently published a study that breaks down the financial costs of fatal and non-fatal shootings in Milwaukee.
Watch: Study estimates each fatal shooting in Milwaukee costs taxpayers $2.1 million
New study estimates each fatal shooting in Milwaukee costs taxpayers $2.1 million
The national non-profit focused on six key expenses.
Each time police and first responders go to the scene of a deadly shooting, NICJR found it costs an average of about $8,000. Average hospital costs amount to nearly $90,000. Investigating and prosecuting the crime adds up to another $55,000.
That’s followed by incarceration which is by far the biggest cost of all to the tune of $1.7 million.
When you add victim support expenses and lost tax revenue, the cost estimate for each fatal shooting exceeds $2 million, and more than 640,000 for non-fatal shootings, according to the study.
National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
“There are going to be people who watch this story and say, ‘That’s hard to believe’. What would be your response to them?” TMJ4 reporter Ben Jordan asked.
“My first response to them would be that our estimates are far more conservative than the estimates of a number of other gun violence reduction organizations trying to do similar analyses and that’s because we’re only measuring the direct and measurable costs of gun violence,” Rabinowitz said.
Rabinowitz discovered Milwaukee homicides are more costly to taxpayers than similarly sized cities like Detroit, Indianapolis, and Atlanta largely because of higher incarceration costs in Wisconsin.
TMJ4
“My hope is that people understand that these costs are not costs that we should be comfortable with,” Reggie Moore said.
Moore is the Director of Community Safety, Policy, and Engagement at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He collaborates with the city, county, and state to address violence as a public health issue. His team is now partnering with the researchers who studied the financial cost.
“What do you hope people who see this story take away from this report?” Jordan asked.
“I think it’s important. When you multiply the amount of homicides in one given year by the total cost, that’s hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said.
Moore hopes it helps people understand the value of prevention efforts and the need to invest upfront.
“For example, a program like 414 Life costs $2 million,” he said. “If it saves one life, the return on investment in preventing one homicide is clear. The price for doing nothing or not doing more to prevent these things on the front end is a cost none of us should be willing to pay.”
It’s important to note that Milwaukee’s homicides are down 22 percent compared to last year. According to this study, that reduction saves taxpayers an estimated $68 million.
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MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Several Milwaukee leaders are condemning recent Immigrations and Customs Enforcement activity in the city, though questions remain whether actions meant to limit the agency within city limits can be enforced.
The group led by U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore expressed anger at the nature of the at least 57 confirmed arrests made by ICE agents across Wisconsin during “targeted operations” that began in late June.
“They’re being kidnapped. They’re being disappeared. They’re being rushed through a judicial process without due process because they don’t have any money. And we’re here to decry that,” said Moore during a press conference July 9.
Back in April, Milwaukee Common Council members unanimously passed one of the key pieces of their “ICE Out MKE” package: an ordinance that prohibited ICE agents from wearing masks while working in the city. But the Department of Homeland Security has indicated they will not adhere to the ordinance, with representatives asserting the US Constitution’s Supremacy Clause allows for federal laws to supersede any local ordinance.
“State and local sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from wearing masks is despicable and a flagrant attempt to endanger our officers,” said an ICE spokesperson in a statement to WTMJ. “To be crystal clear: we will not abide by unconstitutional bans. The Supremacy Clause makes it clear that state and local sanctuary politicians do not control federal law enforcement.”
During the recent arrests, ICE agents were spotted by groups like Voces de la Frontera wearing masks despite the ordinance. Agents also used the Milwaukee Police Department District 2 parking lot for staging purposes, which is against another “ICE Out” city ordinance. A statement from MPD said they were not told in advance that ICE intended to use the parking lot, and then asked them to leave.
No citations have been written by Milwaukee Police against any agents who have violated the mask ban, with the department citing the need for legal clarity from City Attorney Evan Goyke.
“We’re waiting to see what the city attorney’s advice will be on that,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson July 9 when asked by WTMJ if any of the “ICE Out” package is enforceable.
ICE says those arrested will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.
TOP STORIES FROM THE WTMJ NEWSROOM:
Milwaukee Police Department (MPD)
MILWAUKEE – A shooting in Milwaukee on Wednesday, July 8 left one person wounded.
11th and Locust
What we know:
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, a 23-year-old was shot around 6:30 p.m. near 11th and Locust.
The victim arrived at the hospital for treatment.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation.
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MPD tips
What you can do:
Milwaukee police are seeking information to identify a suspect in connection with this incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or P3 Tips.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department.
Milwaukee community members gathered at pop-up events across the northwest side Wednesday as part of “Peace on Every Block,” a week of activities aimed at building community, mentorship and sharing resources for violence prevention.
The week is organized by Advance Peace Milwaukee, Milwaukee Community Cross Roads and Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services.
“We want to see everybody win, and that’s the whole theme about it, about healing, coming together, stopping the violence,” Desilynn Smith of Uniting Garden Homes said.
Lorenzo Davis of Advance Peace said the northwest side was a deliberate focus for the effort.
“Because this is where the gun violence is happening, and we’re trying to end the gun violence in the city of Milwaukee. We really want to do what’s best for Milwaukee,” Davis said.
The Milwaukee Police Department reported a 30 percent drop in homicides during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. But community members say that progress doesn’t always reflect what people are experiencing on the ground.
Watch: ‘Peace on Every Block’ brings Milwaukee community together to fight gun violence
‘Peace on Every Block’ brings Milwaukee community together to fight gun violence
“The data doesn’t lie, that’s true, but when it’s like every day we’re hearing about a shooting, or we’re so connected to it, and so many people connected to it, it just doesn’t appear that way,” Smith said.
The events come as Milwaukee has seen several violent deaths in recent days. 42-year-old Kristy Syed was found shot to death on Milwaukee’s south side.
The Medical Examiner’s Office also identified 19-year-old Savannah Lynn, who was killed after gunfire broke out following a fight on the Fourth of July.
Nine-year-old Jade Riser died after a shooting that happened near East Burleigh Street last Thursday.
Smith said healing is central to any lasting change.
“If we don’t heal, we can’t stop anything, because violence is actually the secondary emotion that is really driven off a lot of pain,” Smith said.
Davis said the young people in these neighborhoods are ready for something better.
“They want to see a better inside Milwaukee. They want to see a better chance for Milwaukee, and they want to do something better for themselves. So, these kids out here, we promote peace with them, and we’re going to back them, and we want to see them win,” Davis said.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
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