RACINE - A 16-year-old girl died early Saturday after being shot in the back in the 600 block of Sixth Street.

Police had not released the name of the victim as The Journal Times went to press.

The shooting apparently occurred at around 1 a.m. Police were called to the area at approximately 1:15 a.m. to a report of a fight and shots fired at Cera's Tequila Bar, 607 Sixth St. A short distance west of the bar, police found the girl suffering from a single gunshot wound to the back.

Racine Fire Department paramedics transported the girl to St. Mary's Medical Center, where she died shortly after arrival. In a press release, police said they were withholding the victim's identity pending notification of next of kin.

As of late Saturday, police did not have anyone in custody or a suspect description. Police investigators would like to speak to anyone who was at the bar Friday night or early Saturday morning prior to the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Police Department at (262) 635-7700, or the Crimestoppers hotline at (262) 636-9330.

The proprietor of Cera's, who declined to give his name for publication, said the fight involved three black males. He said he was stocking the bar when the fight broke out, and that he and bouncers took immediate steps to stop the fight and remove those involved from the bar.

He said he heard no gunshots and said the fight was the first major disturbance he's had since opening the bar about a year ago.

The proprietor said he had three bouncers on duty who were checking IDs. He said he was not sure if the victim might have been in the bar.

The bar was the site of a fatal stabbing on Feb. 27, 2004, when it was under different ownership and had a different name, El Tenanpa. Rogelio "Rocky" Ramos, 27, of Racine was killed after someone stabbed him as he helped escort patrons out the door at closing time.

Albert Juan Chavez endured two jury trials in 2005 in relation to the stabbing. He was found not guilty of first-degree intentional homicide charges on June 2, 2005, in the second jury trial. His first trial, in February 2005, was declared a mistrial after a jury was deadlocked on a verdict.

No new charges have been filed in Ramos' death and the case has been closed.