Wis. boy, 14, paralyzed after being shot in case of ‘mistaken identity’

A teenaged boy in Racine, Wisconsin may spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair after being the victim of a shooting while out riding a scooter last weekend. 

Not long past midnight last Sunday night, Drekarion Williams was out with his cousin, who was riding a bike, when an SUV pulled up and opened fire on the youths. Williams was struck, but his cousin avoided injury. 

The boy’s family believes he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity. “They were literally riding a bike and a scooter … mistaken for somebody else,” said Jessica Williams, the boy’s aunt.

An $8,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons involved with the shooting, and a GoFundMe fundraiser for $10,000 has been established to help Drekarion on his road to recovery. 

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The GoFundMe contends Drekarion, who is better known to his family and friends as Bob, was headed back to his aunt’s house when the assailant drove by and shot at them. It notes that the boy was flown via Flight for Life from Racine to Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he underwent emergency surgery. 

“Bob’s injuries include a fractured neck, fractured shoulder, internal bleeding and damage to his stomach, intestines and colon,” the post reads, adding, “Sadly, Bob does not have feeling in his legs and the doctors informed his parents on May 18 that Bob will be paralyzed from the waist down.” 

“We are all praying for that to be wrong and hope that he will make a full recovery,” it continues, “but we need your help with prayers of healing for Bob. He has a long road to recovery which will include a ton of medical care.” 

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Donations to the fund will allow for his parents to be by his bedside. Additionally, funds will be used for the teen’s medical costs and the mental health needs of surviving such a traumatic event. 

Racine Alderman Maurice Horton told the The Wisconsin Journal Times last week the city is experiencing a rash of retaliatory shootings. He noted that there had been several shootings of teenaged boys in the previous 10 days. 

Horton has been advocating for restored funding to programs that serve youth who live in high crime areas.

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