Freddrick Love-Kennedy (Photo courtesy Brown County Jail)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Freddrick Love-Kennedy was sentenced to ten years in prison Tuesday for an east-side shooting which led to school lockdowns.
Love-Kennedy, 16, was 15-years-old at the time of the April 19 shooting near Preble High School. He was originally charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide – placing the case in adult court – but he later pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless injury.
He was also placed on extended supervision for ten years, and was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service by Judge John Zakowski.
Love-Kennedy will remain in a juvenile prison facility for several years.
Before the sentence was issued, Love-Kennedy’s attorney read a statement from him, apologizing to the victim and asking for forgiveness. A second letter to the judge was read, discussing how is working to improve himself – and asking for a chance “to show that I can do right.”
The judge made reference to Love-Kennedy’s juvenile records and efforts to provide support and rehabilitation. But he also said Love-Kennedy’s actions require prison to protect the public – even if he had been bullied.
“You don’t bring a gun to a knife fight. You don’t shoot someone. You don’t seek somebody out and shoot them. You can talk about young people and brains developing but that’s humanity. That is basic humanity that my 10-year-old wouldn’t have done,” the judge said.
According to the complaint, a witness told police Love-Kennedy robbed the shooting victim’s cousin. After that, there were two more fights — one of which involved Love-Kennedy and the eventual shooting victim — both of which Love-Kennedy lost, “and that’s why he was upset”, according to the witness.
Love-Kennedy, the victim, and several others met two days later on Mills Street. Another argument ensued, Love-Kennedy pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots. The victim was hit twice: once in the arm, once in the face.
After his arrest, Love-Kennedy told police “he was attacked yesterday at Preble and he had no intention of getting any revenge,” the complaint states.
Love-Kennedy denied having any contact with the victim or his friends, and he denied firing the shots.
Police said the 16-year-old victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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