MILWAUKEE — After the shooting that took place after Milwaukee Juneteenth events, local activists are calling for change.
The 52nd annual Juneteenth Parade and Street Festival organized by the Northcott Neighborhood House brought in thousands of people celebrate the historic holiday.
“It was a beautiful, beautiful event,” said Sedan Smith.
Smith said the event was great. He attends every year to celebrate the holiday. Toward the end, Smith found himself near the shootings that broke out injuring six people.
The shooting, police said, stemmed from a fight among multiple young females. Police said they identified at least one alleged shooter, a 17-year-old male, but they are looking for information on possible additional unknown suspects.
Police said they also arrested a 19-year-old male suspect in connection to the incident. Police did not specify what part he may have played in the shooting.
Both males are in police custody. Police said criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The police investigation is fluid and ongoing.
Six people, including both arrested males, all have non-life-threatening injuries. Victims are between the ages of 14 and 19 years old. The four other victims were female, according to authorities. Police said the injuries varied among the victims but all six are expected to survive.
“Happened so fast the shots were so close to me,” said Smith. “I felt like I could have been grazed.”
Smith said now more than ever, the youth need good representation in the community. That’s what he said he’s trying to do with his youth outreach organization called All of Us or None.
The nonprofit hosted a summit for youth the day after Juneteenth. All of Us or None’s office building is near where the shootings took place.
“Seeing that this took place right outside of our office caused for us to be in the community,” said Smith. “It caused for us to be out in the community rebuilding and working with the people surrounding our office and working with the youth surrounding by that violence.”
Tracey Dent is another anti-violence activist in the community. He said it upsets him that a great event ended the way it did.
“Whoever they have in custody, or [are] still looking for — someone charge them as adults,” said Dent. “We have to start using tough love and at the same time we have to reach out to these youth and show them love at the same time and give them resources.”
Both agreed that the youth in the community need more role models.
“Us as community advocates, us as youth leaders, us as OGs, whatever you want to call yourself,” said Smith. “Our youth needs us. So we need to be the same people that’s not looking at them like they’re suspicious but being able to correct the narrative by preventing these situations before they happen.”
Jan 1, 2025 | 8:30 AM
State News
Milwaukee’s homicide numbers are down again.
The city’s police department yesterday said Milwaukee is on pace for just under 140 killings for the year.
That’s down from 215 in 2022 and 172 last year but will still be higher than Milwaukee’s pre-COVID numbers.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson says Milwaukee still has work to do. Milwaukee Police say the city is likely to see about 640 non-fatal shootings for the year.
That, too, is down from the COVID-era highs but much higher than the years before that.
MILWAUKEE — For many holidays, Tradition is key. That’s how New Year’s Eve is celebrated for Hailey Burch.
“We do this every year,” Burch told TMJ4, about ice skating at Red Arrow Park. “We’ve done it for the last five or six years at least, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
Burch and her friends and family were just some of many who came out to the park to ring in 2025.
“You got hot chocolate inside, you got benches to warm up with the hot chocolate if you need to,” said Scott Cychosz, who brought his family out to the park.
With music, pretty light displays, and more fun, it’s a great alternative to late-night parties.
“It’s important because you got kids now,” Cychosz told TMJ4. “and if you want to spend time with your family you gotta find alternates than spending the whole night out and drinking whatever.”
But some parties were going on, one in particular kicked off at 4pm and will last for 24 hours.
Victor’s Nightclub on the East Side will be shutting its doors on Wednesday. But before they do so, they hosted a 24-hour bash to celebrate new beginnings and to remember closing chapters.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
“It brings a tear to my eye,” said Julio Rivera, who has been going to Victor’s for decades. “but I’m appreciative that I was able to experience this whole thing. It’s just a great, great family.”
And just across the river, the deer district was packed for the fireworks show put on by We Energies.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
If you need a safe way to get home there are multiple resources around the city.
RELATED | How you can ride on MCTS for free this New Year’s Eve
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MILWAUKEE — I’ve done stories on tons of different artists—abstract painters, wood artists, musicians. You name it, I’ve done it. But one day, I was in the depths of the internet, and something caught my eye. I found a person who sews images of dive bar bathrooms, and I just had to learn more.
It started with the Roman Coin bathroom in Milwaukee. Then she did a Summerfest bathroom, Paddy’s Pub, High Dive, and a few others. The next thing Ella Clemons knew, her dive bar images were being featured at the Portrait Society Gallery in Milwaukee.
“I feel like everyone was kind of rocking with it here in Milwaukee,” Clemons, a fiber artist, said.
James Groh
The 23-year-old, who is also a bartender, works out of a Bay View studio. It’s an old cream city brick building that has turned into artist’s workspaces.
“I couldn’t imagine myself doing a 9-to-5 or something like that. I just don’t think I’m built that way. I don’t know. I want to create,” she said.
It takes Clemons about 10 hours to sew a bathroom. She does commissions. Prices start around $200. That got me thinking – what bathroom would I want? I’m thinking of Hosed on Brady or the bathrooms at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan which are super artistic.
So you may be thinking: dive bar bathrooms? It’s a little strange. It’s a little dirty. But there’s a beauty in the mundane. Clemons is forcing us to look at something we’ve seen before but in a new way.
James Groh
“I like people to see something and be like, ‘I definitely know what that is.’ And I think people think it’s kind of funny to see it in fabric form, and I like it too. And it brings—I don’t know—it brings a whimsy to it, I guess,” she said.
She also made a series on highway billboards—you know, personal injury lawyers, religious billboards, fireworks advertisements, and adult store signs. Clemons is inspired by, “mundane day-to-day things that I feel I want to create.”
Ella Clemons
The UW-Milwaukee graduate has been featured in two galleries. She has a good idea for her next series too – sewing strange Facebook Marketplace listings. Beyond that, she has big dreams.
“I would love to make art full-time. That’s a huge goal of mine.”
That is why in 2025, you can find her at her studio sewing dive bar bathrooms, highway signs, Facebook Marketplace listings, or something else just as fun and weird.
“It’s something I could be happy doing, like, forever. I could keep doing it. There’s always going to be more stuff to create,” Clemons said.
To see more of her work or request a commission, send her a message on Instagram.
Watch Ella Clemons’ story here…
Milwaukee fiber artist turns dive bar bathrooms into art
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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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