GENEVA, WIS. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A court hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Walworth County, Wisconsin for a man arrested in connection with the shooting death of his stepson from west suburban Brookfield.
Police said on Monday afternoon the eight-year-old boy died after being shot by a handgun at a home on Lincoln Avenue near Lake Geneva.
Investigators said the boy's stepfather, 52-year-old Steven Merkel, was arrested on reckless homicide charges, but police are still investigating how the boy was shot.
The superintendent of Brookfield School District 95, Dr. Mark Kuzniewski identified the boy as Michael Meagher, who was a second grader at Brook Park Elementary School in LaGrange Park.
“When we were alerted about the incident, we immediately mobilized our grief team, our assistant principal at Brook Park Elementary, social workers and school psychologists, and we had a common message in all of our grades for all of our students and then [had] supports in place where students could leave and speak with a social worker.”
The superintendent said the boy's death has been a serious blow to Brook Park Elementary, which he calls a close-knit community.
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok I Bluesky