Nationwide — Cosetta Burrell, a 33-year-old woman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, faces 22 criminal charges after she reportedly shot a 12-year-old boy following a dispute over selling water bottles on a neighborhood street. The shooting led to a high-speed police chase involving multiple children inside her vehicle.
Prosecutors said the conflict began when her son and another group of children argued over who could sell water bottles in a specific neighborhood. Authorities said she later became involved and searched for the boy connected to the dispute.
According to Fox 6 Now, Burrell, her girlfriend, and several children drove through the neighborhood on July 17 looking for the 12-year-old. Prosecutors said Burrell shot the boy, fired at his brother, and struck a nearby home that had people inside, including a 2-month-old child.
Investigators later used surveillance cameras to locate the vehicle connected to the shooting. When deputies attempted to pull Burrell over, prosecutors said she drove away and led them on a nearly six-mile chase, reaching speeds above 80 mph with four children inside the car.
Burrell was eventually arrested and charged in connection with the shooting and police pursuit. A Milwaukee County court commissioner set her bond at $100,000, and she is expected back in court next week.
Prosecutors also said Burrell had been released from prison just days before the shooting after serving time for a child abuse conviction. She was prohibited from possessing a firearm and was already awaiting trial in a separate felony identity theft case.
Burrell’s attorney said she understands the seriousness of the allegations and intends to appear for future court hearings. Prosecutors said Burrell later admitted during recorded jail calls that she shot the boy and called herself as a “hero.”
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner Barry Phillips pushed back against that statement, saying someone accused of shooting a 12-year-old child should not be considered a hero.