RACINE, Wis. — At least two people were wounded after shots were fired at a southern Wisconsin cemetery on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Update 9:10 p.m. EDT June 2: Sgt. Kristi Wilcox of the Racine Police Department said a juvenile was treated and released and a second was flown to a hospital in Milwaukee, WTMJ-TV and WISN-TV reported.
Racine Police say two people were shot at a cemetery in Racine. We’re told one person was flown to the hospital, the other treated and released. The funeral was for Da’Shontay King, who was shot and killed by a Racine police officer two weeks ago. @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/YHbGgH47rG
— Kristin Pierce (@KPierceTV) June 2, 2022
Original report: In a tweet, the Racine Police Department said multiple shots were fired at Graceland Cemetery at 2:26 p.m. CDT. The department added that there were victims but the number was unknown “at this time.”
Multiple casings were found in the area, The Journal Times of Racine reported. According to the newspaper, area residents said they heard between 20 and 30 shots.
“Accurately, 20 to 30. I would say. It was a lot. The one initial one and then gunfire. It was terrifying,” Tre Brantley told WISN-TV. “Within 30 seconds we were all running off the court. we didn’t stop to grab any of our stuff. We didn’t stop to talk about it.”
At 2:26pm there were multiple shots fired at Graceland Cemetery. There are victims but unknown how many at this time. The scene is still active and being investigated.
— Racine Police (@RacinePD) June 2, 2022
We will update you when more details become available.
Thank you!
According to WISN, a spokesperson at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home & Crematory confirmed that the shooting occurred during the funeral of Da’Shontay Lucas King Sr. The 37-year-old was fatally shot by a Racine police officer during a traffic stop on May 20, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.
According to his obituary, King was scheduled to be buried at Graceland Cemetery on Thursday afternoon.
The shooting occurred during the burial of Da'Shontay "Day Day" King, the man shot and killed while fleeing from police May 20. https://t.co/MKJUVclydo
— The Journal Times (@Journaltimes) June 2, 2022
One woman said Thursday’s shooting “sounded like firecrackers,” according to the Journal Times.
“I can’t even go to a funeral,” another woman, who requested anonymity, told the newspaper, adding that the shooting was “like a movie.”
Racine is located about 22 miles south of Milwaukee and about 70 miles north of Chicago.
THIS IMAGE.
— Derrick Rose (@DRoseTV) June 2, 2022
A shooting at a funeral.
The casket is still sitting in the sun surrounded by crime tape as well as investigators.
The man whose funeral it was died in a police shooting May 20. @WISN12News #funeral #shooting #racine #DaShontayKing pic.twitter.com/OiHbEZSnJj
The Racine County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to WDJT-TV that they have not been called to the scene.
A spokesperson for Ascension All Saints Hospital, which is treating an unnamed number of victims from the shooting, confirmed to the Journal Times that the facility was on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution.”
The hospital is adjacent to the cemetery, the newspaper reported.
Racine Police now asking for any video of the shooting at Graceland Cemetery. pic.twitter.com/FxPdt5oj1f
— Mary Jo Ola (@MaryJoOlaTV) June 2, 2022
“The safety of our associates, patients, visitors and providers is our top priority,” hospital officials said in a statement to WISN. “Due to a situation offsite, increased security measures have been put in place at Ascension All Saints Hospital. Patients are still able to keep previously scheduled appointments and the emergency department is currently accepting patients. However, out of an abundance of caution, the number of open entrances into the hospital has been reduced and additional security screenings have been implemented.”
In a Facebook post, the Racine police department was asking for any video that might have been recorded during the shooting.
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