A Milwaukee mother has been charged with shooting a 12-year-old boy she allegedly targeted after the child was involved in a dispute over selling water bottles near her son's usual spot, according to prosecutors.
Cosetta Burrell, 33, is facing 18 felony counts and four misdemeanor charges including reckless injury, child abuse, reckless endangerment, and child neglect in connection with the July 17 shooting of the boy, who was struck in the leg.
Background
According to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, detectives from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office spoke with the boy's parents after the incident. The family told investigators their son sold water bottles near their apartment to earn extra money.
A witness at the boy's home told police he observed children selling water on the same median where the victim's mother said her son regularly set up his stand. The witness informed the boy about what he saw, and the boy left the house running toward the location.
"He ran the kids off" the median and took a cooler, which he "started to damage" until the witness intervened and told him to stop, according to the complaint. The boy complied but later returned to the median with another child.
The Investigation
Police said Burrell allegedly pulled over near the boy in an SUV, retrieved a gun from her glove compartment, got out of the vehicle, and approached him.
"We going to do this," she allegedly told the 12-year-old before firing one shot. The boy ran away, but Burrell fired again, striking him in the leg, according to investigators.
The victim was able to run into an alley and return home, where his parents took him to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
A witness at the scene told police he saw approximately five children in the back of the SUV. After Burrell allegedly fired five to six shots, she got back into her vehicle and drove away, yelling "I should've killed your a—!" according to the complaint.
Around 7:30 p.m., officers located Burrell's white Nissan Pathfinder and attempted a traffic stop. She continued driving, ran a stop sign, and led police on a high-speed chase covering 5.7 miles at speeds reaching 83 mph, authorities said.
During the pursuit, Milwaukee police deployed stop sticks. Officers alleged that Burrell swerved toward one of their officers while he was placing the devices on the ground.
"All of the children were crying and visibly shaking" when officers finally stopped the vehicle and removed her four children, according to the complaint. A male passenger was also in the SUV. Police determined the vehicle had been reported stolen by Burrell's friend.
Burrell agreed to speak with investigators after being taken into custody. She told police her son was being bullied by the victim over his water and juice sales location. When her son called saying the boy had broken his cooler, she decided to "confront" him.
"I planned to knock out the kid," Burrell allegedly stated, adding that she fired at his feet because she was "trying to scare him, not kill him." She claimed the gun belonged to her girlfriend.
Police said Burrell also denied trying to hit the officer with her SUV, explaining she was in "GTA mode" during the chase. "Yeah, he was there, but, you know, I'm a good driver," she reportedly said.
During recorded phone calls from jail, Burrell expressed some regret, saying "I should have just punched him." However, she also claimed she was helping her son and his friends "get their motherf—ing money" and referred to the gun as something she "had to get rid of," which she allegedly threw from the vehicle window.
Burrell reportedly stated: "This ain't your corner… I don't know who the f— raised you, but they raised you wrong, didn't raise you right. I'm finna show you right." She later allegedly told friends she was a "hero" and that "the entire community agrees."
"Nobody in the community, nobody in the hood, thinks that somebody that shoots a 12-year-old kid is a hero," Milwaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner Barry Phillips told Burrell during her first court appearance. "You are not a hero. If you did this, you're a zero."
The Charges
Burrell has been charged with 18 felonies and four misdemeanors in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. The charges include reckless injury, child abuse, multiple counts of reckless endangerment, and child neglect.
She is being held at the Milwaukee County Jail on $100,000 bond. Court records indicate she has several prior convictions for child abuse.
Key Takeaways
- Cosetta Burrell allegedly shot a 12-year-old boy in the leg over a water bottle selling dispute involving her son
- Police say Burrell led them on a 5.7-mile high-speed chase reaching 83 mph while four of her children were in the vehicle
- She faces 18 felony charges and four misdemeanor charges including reckless injury, child abuse, and reckless endangerment
- The boy was transported to a hospital with leg injuries and is expected to recover
- Burrell allegedly told investigators she planned to "knock out" the boy because her son's cooler had been damaged
What's Next
Burrell's next scheduled court appearance in Milwaukee County Circuit Court has not yet been publicly confirmed. She remains held at the Milwaukee County Jail on $100,000 bond as she awaits trial.
The investigation is being conducted by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and local police departments.