A mother is dead after a double shooting on Milwaukee's south side. Maryory Roig-Cartagena died after a shooting near 12th and Montana Monday night. The other person shot was taken to the hospital. Police continue searching for the person responsible.
It's the third incident within a block of the shooting in just one week. Alderman Tony Zielinski already had a community safety meeting planned for Tuesday, but even before the meeting, he was down in the south side neighborhood to look into protecting the neighborhood.
"Within a week you have your car broken into, a fire and a shooting. It's too much going on," said Linda Chojancki.
Chojancki has lived in her building at 12th and Montana for 19 years. She said as soon as she can, she's taking her two kids and moving.
"Nobody wants to be here when they don't feel safe anymore," she said.
Chojancki had her car broken into last week, then a garage went up in flames with a car inside. Monday was the final straw - two people shot, one killed half a block away.
"It's sad. I like the neighborhood," she hesitates. "well, I did."
It's a train of thought rental property owner Tony Arteaga hopes his renters won't join.
"I grew up in the neighborhood, and I have a vested interest because I built some properties down the street. I want to assure my tenants I'm taking appropriate action to keep them safe and their families and they don't have to move," he said.
And he's ready to invest in protecting the neighborhood. Zielinski met with Arteaga and a security company Tuesday to flesh out plans to put cameras in the area, starting at the intersection of 12th and Montana. Arteaga and another local business owner have committed $500 to the cameras, which will likely each cost around $5,000.
"It's certainly a deterrent, but if there's any additional activity they will more than likely get caught," said Arteaga.
Watching out for the neighborhood will become a civic effort. Zielinski plans to connect the cameras to a system so people can watch them online and report crime when they see it.
"I would be watching them definitely," Chojancki said. That is, as long as she lives in the neighborhood.
Zielinski meets with neighbors at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Bay View High School Auditorium.
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