On a Tuesday morning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the life of 26-year-old Patrice Price, a Black/African American woman, was cut short in a tragic and unforeseen event. On April 26, 2016, Price was driving along Highway 175 with her two young sons and her mother. In the back seat, her two-year-old son was not secured in a car seat. The vehicle she was operating belonged to her boyfriend, a security guard, and his.
40-caliber handgun was unsecured in the car, having reportedly slid out from under the driver's seat.
The toddler discovered the firearm and, in a moment of tragic innocence, fired a single shot through the driver's seat, striking his mother in the back. The car was still in motion, and Price's mother, who was in the front passenger seat with Price's one-year-old son, managed to bring the vehicle to a stop on the side of the highway. Despite the immediate efforts of sheriff's deputies who performed CPR until paramedics arrived, Patrice Price was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the aftermath of the devastating incident, an investigation was launched by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. The focus of the inquiry was to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting and if any charges were warranted. The gun was recovered from the floor of the back seat, along with a gun belt belonging to Price's boyfriend. Family members revealed that Price was driving her boyfriend's car because her own vehicle, which contained her children's car seats, had been stolen just days before the fatal incident.
Ultimately, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office concluded that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with Patrice Price's death. The investigation found no evidence of criminal intent, and the shooting was ruled a tragic accident. The incident highlighted the devastating consequences of unsecured firearms and left a family to mourn the loss of a hardworking mother of three. The case was closed without any arrests or suspects being charged, leaving behind a story of profound loss and a chilling reminder of the importance of gun safety.
