Harwinder Singh, a 9-year-old Black / African American boy from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was remembered by his family as a bright and much-loved child whose smile and gentle nature brought warmth to those who knew him. Known affectionately as “Harry,” he was described by his aunt as a “good kid.” His life was cut short on July 24, 2023, just three days before what would have been his 10th birthday.
The tragedy unfolded on a Monday evening in the parking lot of a shopping center near
76th and Mill Road. Harwinder was in the back seat of a car with a 14-year-old boy. The 42-year-old man driving the car parked around 8:45 p.m. and went into a business. While the man was away, the 14-year-old found a gun in the glove compartment. Authorities reported that the teenager accidentally shot Harwinder. A few minutes after the driver left, a passenger was seen jumping out of the car and running.
Police arrived at the scene by 8:49 p.m. and attempted to resuscitate Harwinder, but he was pronounced deceased in the parking lot. The Milwaukee Police Chief later commented that the incident was part of an alarming trend of injuries and deaths involving young people and unsecured firearms left in vehicles and homes.
The investigation led to the arrests of the 42-year-old man and the 14-year-old boy. A witness who knew the individuals involved initially took the gun from the scene but later returned to give it to the police. The 42-year-old man was charged with negligence of a child causing death. The 14-year-old was formally charged in juvenile court with second-degree reckless homicide, possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor, and obstructing an officer.
Harwinder’s death left his family devastated. “When losing a child that you birthed, that's a pain that you cannot never let go away,” his aunt, Latasha Holmon-Hodges, said. She pleaded with the public to put guns down and keep them away from children. As of August 2023, the case against the two individuals charged in connection with Harwinder’s death was proceeding through the court system.
