12-Year-Old Boy Beaten To Death, 8-Year-Old Injured In Alleged Hammer Attack

A 12-year-old boy died and an 8-year-old child was left injured in an alleged hammer attack in Wisconsin on Sunday.

According to the police, the children were inside a home near Glendale Avenue in Milwaukee when an unidentified assailant carried out the gruesome attack. Officials said the 12-year-old was beaten to death with a hammer, while the other child survived the attack with non-life-threatening injuries.

As of Monday morning, few details were revealed about how the incident unfolded. The 12-year-old was rushed to a hospital with blunt-force trauma injuries and was later declared dead, according to ABC 7. Doctors at the hospital said the other child is expected to survive.

The police said they have launched an investigation into the homicide case and are looking for a known suspect. However, the details about the suspect have not been released. It is also unclear if the suspect was known to the victims. The police said the body of the 12-year-old has been sent for an autopsy, which may help authorities with more forensic evidence to use in court.

A neighbor, identified as Lewis Williams, told local media that he had heard arguing and also saw the 8-year-old injured in the driveway before he was taken away to a hospital.

"A child, you know, that's messed up," Williams said, according to ABC7. "I really don't know what to say."

Williams also said he overheard the 8-year-old talking at the scene. "From what I heard directly from his mouth was, 'he tried to hit me with the hammer, too,'" he recalled.

Community activist Tracey Dent, who was near the scene, told WTMJ that he was “in denial,” after hearing about the attack.

“We have to wrap our arms around this whole family with nothing but love and support,” he said.

The identities of the victims have been withheld, according to local media. It remains unclear if any other adult was at home at the time of the incident. The motive behind the attack is also under investigation.