Green Bay – Three days before the shooting on the east side of Green Bay in April 2024, Brown County District Court Judge John Zakowski locked in Preble High and Danz Elementary School, and John Zakowski presided over a hearing in which a teenager case targeting a Green Bay teenager who will cause the shooting.
Zakovsky said during the teenager’s sentencing Tuesday that he felt sad that everything he said at that hearing was “must be one ear, another ear falling into another.” Zakovsky said the judge often blamed himself when they were with Freddrick Love-Kennedy, 16, and eventually returned to court.
“I feel bad about today,” Zakovsky said. “You're not a bad boy, not a bad guy, Frederick, I still believe it.”
Love-Kennedy did not participate in the first-level reckless weapon to shoot and injure the then-16-year-old boy Love-Kennedy continued to controversial dangerous weapons and suffered dangerous weapons, and was sentenced to 10 years of initial supervision and then 10 years of extended supervision.
Fortunately, Zakovsky did not preside over the homicide, prosecuting Kimberly Hardtke said that due to the victim's arm and bullet fragments having two gunshot wounds on his face, suggesting that his arm could have been shot if he hadn't been shot.
Love-Kennedy was initially charged with attempting first-degree intentional homicide in a shooting that took place at the intersection of the Mill and Country Street after 12:30 pm on April 19, 2024. The victim and his friend were there to fight Love-Kennedy and his cousin, but according to the complaint of the crime, Love-Kennedy approached the victim's car and caught up with the victim's car.
The complaint said everyone in the car ran out when the car wasn't starting, but the victim returned because he forgot the key in the ignition switch. The complaint said that Love-Kennedy shot the victim twice on his arm, continuing to shoot, hunting the victim and trying to escape.
“There's almost nothing worse or (more) than shooting back when you run away,” Zakovsky said.
Freddrick Love-Kennedy was escorted to the defense table at a sentencing table at Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Love-Kennedy was sentenced to 10 years of initial constraints and 10 years of supervision and suffered dangerous damage in the April 2024 danger with little competition on first-class dangerous weapons that do not compete for dangerous weapons. Tork Mason/US Today Network Wisconsin
“People just gave up on him”
Defense attorney James Schoenecker said a forensic psychologist spent six hours performing several psychological tests on love Kennedy, and his report found that Love Kennedy experienced nine types of 10 adverse childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect, violence, violence, and mental illness.
Schoenecker said in a summary of the report that psychologists pointed out that the short-term medications for first grade have not been continued, and although the medication seems to help Love-Kennedy, although early recommendations provide early advice for “general neglect” or home treatment services for “universal neglect.”
“He has no stability in his life,” Schoenecker said. “He suffered from mental illness problems that were resolved and then people just gave up on him.”
Schoenecker said the court must consider Love-Kennedy's age, development stage and potential for recovery. Schoenecker said keeping love Kennedy connected to his community and family is crucial to reducing his chances of recidivism.
The defense asked Zakowski to sentence Love-Kennedy to seven years in prison and then to conduct seven years of long-term supervision. When Love-Kennedy was convicted in adult court, but he was only 16 years old, Schoenecker told Zakowski: “Please don't forget this.”
Brown County Circuit Judge John Zakowski addressed the parties at a sentencing hearing at Brown County Court in Green Bay on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
“We still believe in you”
Zakovsky said he agreed with everything Schoenecker said about how Kennedy failed. It's something he often sees in court, constantly thinking, and even thinking about Tuesday morning in Massachusetts.
An environment like Zakowski has troubled him, saying, “This should bother everyone,” he says, taking that into account when delivering the sentences. However, Kennedy's case is “about serious” and “the punishment must be appropriate for crime,” Zakovsky said.
Zakowski determined that this punishment should be 10 years of prison intuitive incarceration and 10 years of long-term supervision after release. Love-Kennedy apologized to the victim through a letter read by his attorney, and Zakowski said he was pleased to hear that Love Kennedy continued to deny his actions to former investigators.
“Frankly, Freddrick, if you don't apologize, I might add another year just to make you have to take responsibility,” Zakovsky said.
Zakovsky said hopeful that in a more constructive and narrow environment, Love-Kennedy will mature and make better decisions.
“Frederick, one day, I want to see your work in this community and feel loved and happy,” Zakovsky said. “I still, we still believe in you.”
Vivian Barrett is a public safety journalist for Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can contact her at vmbarrett@greenbay.gannett.com or (920) 431-8314. Follow her X on @vivianbarrett_, formerly Twitter.
This article originally appeared in the Green Bay Press Gazette: Green Bay Green Bay's Freddrick Love-Kennedy was sentenced in 2024
