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Driver, teen shot to death after van hits and kills toddler

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Had Archie Brown Jr. committed a hit-and-run, he and a 15-year-old boy likely would still be alive. But Brown stopped his van after it struck and killed a 2-year-old Sunday evening on Milwaukee’s near northwest side.

Moments later, Brown was shot and killed at the scene of the accident. And the boy was fatally wounded.

Three people are dead and, in the case of the 15-year-old, it’s unclear why.

Police reported in a news release that the 2-year-old ran into the street at 5:10 p.m. in the 4600 block of N. 48th St., which is next to Wahl Park. The release said the driver of the van, a 41-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, that the teen later died in surgery, and that investigators were working to develop a suspect.

Archie Brown Sr., 68, of Milwaukee spoke to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at the scene. Moments after speaking with investigators, he confirmed that the driver of the van was his son, Archie Brown Jr., also of Milwaukee.

The elder Brown said police showed him a photograph of his son and that his son had been shot in the head. He said police told him the 2-year-old was a girl.

Brown said his son was the father of four daughters, including one who is 6 months old.

Brown made a phone call after speaking with investigators and said: “My son’s just been murdered.”

However, he remained calm.

“If I am a man of God and I believe in the Bible, nothing happens without a reason. What the reason is, I don’t know,” he told the Journal Sentinel.

Brown said he is retired, but preaches on the streets and goes by the name of Prophet Brown.

Brown described his son as an entrepreneur, buying, remodeling and renting out houses and other residences.

“That’s terrible. My son has gone to eternity,” Brown said.

How the 15-year-old was involved — whether he was in the van, was a bystander or was connected in some other way — is unclear.

Brown said a young man was with his son in the van, but that he saw him being interviewed by police and that he was not injured in the shooting.

Riles Rilley, a half brother of Archie Brown Jr., said at the scene that Brown was also a co-owner of the Seven West nightclub.

“Just a good person all around. Never had any enemies. Always looking to do the right thing,” he said.

Rilley said he first heard about the incident while playing kickball at Beckum Park. People started seeing reports on social media, then he started receiving texts from friends and family indicating that Brown was involved.

“You wait for the text to come back and say he’s OK. First, they don’t know. Then they say, he didn’t make it.”

Source: Journal Sentinel

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