A Wisconsin teenager was arrested in the shooting death of an 11-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet while riding in a vehicle last week.
Jerry L. Ward, 17, of Madison, had a handgun when he was arrested Wednesday, said Madison Police Chief Vic Wahl, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. He is the third person arrested in connection with the death of Anisa Scott.
He is charged with burglary, and robbery with use of force and homicide, according to records from the Dane County jail. The burglary charge is related to looting during the first night of protests in Madison after the May 25 death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Anisa Scott, 11 (Fox 47 Madison)
Perion Carreon, 19, and Andre Brown, 16, were taken into police custody last week. Both face homicide charges. Anisa was not the intended target of the Aug. 11 attack. She was struck in the head by a bullet, authorities said, and taken off life support two days later.
Investigators said Christopher Carthans, the driver of the Chevy Tahoe in which Anisa was traveling, and her mother’s boyfriend, was the intended target. Scott was sitting in the front seat when the shooting occurred.
Four years ago, she was featured in a video praying for an end to gun violence in Chicago.
“I just want to go outside and play, like a 7-year-old is supposed to do,” she said in the recording as she kneels in prayer at the edge of her bed. “I don’t want to die.
“They won’t stop shooting. They won’t stop killing,” she said through tears. “Please, Lord. Stop it. God, can you make it better?”
Carreon reportedly told police that he was driving the Kia carrying the three suspects. They had guns on their laps before the shooting. Eight shots were fired in total.
Authorities would not comment on whether the shooting was related to a rash of gun violence plaguing Madison in recent months
