Milwaukee food truck caught in crossfire during mass shooting

A food truck operator and his family were caught in the crossfire during the post-game mayhem Friday in downtown Milwaukee. Three shootings left 21 people hurt in the entertainment district following the Bucks game, including 17 people wounded in a shootout on Water Street.Gunfire sent the man’s family diving to the floor of their barbeque truck.The Shep-Q truck was parked on Juneau Avenue, doing a brisk business, when suddenly the owner said he felt like he was in a war zone.As hundreds ran for cover Friday night, Doyle Shepard hit the deck inside his barbeque trailer. A bullet ripped through his van.”I told everyone to get down right away because it was so close it was rocking my trailer,” Shepard said. Shepard’s wife and two daughters were with him as the bullets started flying.”I was laying right on top of them. Everybody trying to avoid getting hit if anything comes through this because this is nothing. It’d come through this like it’s nothing,” Shepard said.He said the gunfire lasted at least 10 terrifying seconds, but no one in the truck was hit.And that, he said, wasn’t the only shocking thing. He woke up Saturday to hear the food trucks were getting some blame.”We’ll be working on the food trucks, that act as a congregant for folks who come down here,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.Johnson said the food trucks encourage loitering that can lead to violent confrontations. He said the city was considering restrictions.”Look, I want to do everything that’s in our power in order to curb the incidents that we saw last night. I know that’s a place that folks congregate so that’s an area that I’m looking at too,” Johnson said Saturday.”It’s not a food truck problem at all. If he regulates the food trucks, that’s just like saying Giannis is part of the problem, or the restaurants down there are part of the problem,” Shepard said.He would like to see a wider security perimeter but said he won’t be back anytime soon.”I’m born and raised in Milwaukee. I like to spend my money here and make my money here, but if I have to change, that’s what I’ll have to do. I have to keep my family safe,” Shepard said. “I don’t have to do business there. That’s the beauty of it. I can go to the next county.” His food truck was stuck behind police lines. Shepard said he said he didn’t get out of the scene until about 5 a.m. While there, he said he watched police put down evidence markers for more than 80 shell casings.