Arrest made in connection to fatal shooting of 1-year-old Milwaukee girl

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A 27-year-old man was arrested in connection with a shooting that left a 1-year-old girl dead.

The shooting happened Saturday, June 3 near 19th and Atkinson.

Police say after 1-year-old Zy'Aire Danielle Nevels was shot, she was taken to the nearby Milwaukee Fire Department Station 36, located near 27th and Capitol, before going to the hospital where she died from her injuries.

"My daughter was a beautiful young intelligent, young little girl, she was empathetic, she was lovely, like she would light up everybody," said Zhane Brown, the 1-year-old's mother.

Police say she was shot in a car by a known suspect after an argument between adults.

Brown says there wasn't an argument, and that she and her family were being followed while driving before the shooting.

She says when they got away, she and her family tried to get her two daughters out of the vehicle when she realized what happened.

"When I reached for her seatbelt, I looked over, and I saw Zy'Aire's head was slumped over," said Brown.

Brown says then a city employee helped get Zy'aire to the fire station at 27th and Capitol to try and get her to the hospital quickly.

"When they put her in the ambulance to rush her to the hospital, she still had a pulse, she was still slightly breathing," said Brown.

Brown says she doesn't know why the person who shot her daughter did what they did.

"Because my baby was innocent, my baby didn't have nothing to do with this, my baby didn't deserve this," said Brown.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says it's especially tragic as this happened during Gun Violence Awareness Month.

"[This] brings to the forefront that we need to focus in on these efforts of anti-violence and encourage people to put guns down," Mayor Johnson said. "It's a simple premise, put guns down, nothing good comes when you fire off a gun."

Milwaukee police haven't released the name of the man they have in custody. They'll be referring charges to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office in the coming days.

Zy'Aire's family has a GoFundMe set up for expenses.

Fundraiser by Zhane Brown : Raise Money In The Name & Faith of Zy’Aire Nevels (gofundme.com)