MILWAUKEE — A standoff between police and an angry crowd turned violent Saturday night in the hours after a Milwaukee police officer shot and killed an armed suspect during a foot chase.
After an hours-long confrontation with officers, police reported at 10:15 p.m. CT that a gas station was set on fire. Police said firefighters could not get close to the blaze because of gunshots.
Earlier, more than 100 people gathered near the scene on the city’s north side and at times pushed against a line of 20 to 30 officers, some of whom were in riot gear.
At one point, the officers got in their cars to leave, and some in the crowd started smashing the windows of a squad car and another vehicle, which was set on fire. As officers returned to the scene, this time many more in riot gear, gunshots could be heard about 8:45 p.m
The shots appeared to be fired in the air by someone in the crowd.
Soon after, the crowd turned on and chased reporters and a photographer from the Journal Sentinel. One reporter was shoved to the ground and punched.
Police later tweeted that an officer was hit in the head with a brick that was throw through a squad car window. Police said the officer was being treated at a hospital.
The violence erupted not long after a woman who identified herself as a family member of the dead man implored the people to leave the scene.
"We don't want anyone else to go to jail or get hurt," she told the crowd.
Some left but many stayed as tensions built.
The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon.
City police officials said two officers stopped two suspects in a car at about 3:30 p.m. The suspects then took off on foot. During the pursuit, a six-year veteran of the department shot and killed a 23-year-old Milwaukee resident, who was carrying a semiautomatic handgun, police said.
The officer was not hurt.
Shortly after the shooting, Milwaukee Police Assistant Chief <culink title="" class="culinks" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51)!important;font-weight:400!important;" href="http://curiyo.com/en/topic/Bill Jessup" culang="en">Bill Jessup</culink> said at the scene that it wasn't immediately clear whether the suspect pointed the gun or shot at the officer.
"Those additional facts will come out in the coming days," Jessup said.
City police officials have not interviewed the officer, Jessup said. That responsibility will fall to the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, which is required by state law to take over officer-involved shooting investigations.
"That officer had to make a split-second decision when the person confronted him with a handgun," Jessup said. "This is a risk they take every day on behalf of our community."
Jessup said he didn't immediately know why the officers stopped the suspects.
Police said the suspect had a "lengthy arrest record," though the specific crimes were not detailed. The suspect was carrying a handgun taken in a March burglary in Waukesha. The owner reported that 500 rounds of ammunition also were stolen.
The officer is 24 and will be placed on administrative duty during the investigation and subsequent review by the district attorney's office.
The second suspect who fled on foot, also a 23-year-old man, was apprehended and is in custody, Jessup said.
The shooting occurred about one block northwest of the scene of a Friday evening homicide, and about four blocks west of a Saturday morning double homicide. Five people died in shooting-related homicides during a nine-hour stretch in the city on Friday night and Saturday morning.
"As everyone knows, this was a very, very violent 24 hours in the city of Milwaukee," Jessup said. "Our officers are out here taking risks on behalf of the community and making split-second decisions."
Nefataria Gordon said she knew the man who had been killed by the officer. "He was a nice good person. He was really respected. That's why everyone came out. They're angry."
The clash comes after a series of tense episodes in Milwaukee involving residents and police, including one just before the Fourth of July weekend near Sherman Park.
In early July, a group of several dozen young people threw rocks and bottles, damaging windows of a gas station and a county transit bus near Sherman Park. Law enforcement beefed up their presence for several days there. Some activists said it was an intimidating presence. At the same time, the incidents also led to a surge in residents and local leaders promoting positive activity there.
After an hours-long confrontation with officers, police reported at 10:15 p.m. CT that a gas station was set on fire. Police said firefighters could not get close to the blaze because of gunshots.
Earlier, more than 100 people gathered near the scene on the city’s north side and at times pushed against a line of 20 to 30 officers, some of whom were in riot gear.
At one point, the officers got in their cars to leave, and some in the crowd started smashing the windows of a squad car and another vehicle, which was set on fire. As officers returned to the scene, this time many more in riot gear, gunshots could be heard about 8:45 p.m
The shots appeared to be fired in the air by someone in the crowd.
Soon after, the crowd turned on and chased reporters and a photographer from the Journal Sentinel. One reporter was shoved to the ground and punched.
Police later tweeted that an officer was hit in the head with a brick that was throw through a squad car window. Police said the officer was being treated at a hospital.
The violence erupted not long after a woman who identified herself as a family member of the dead man implored the people to leave the scene.
"We don't want anyone else to go to jail or get hurt," she told the crowd.
Some left but many stayed as tensions built.
The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon.
City police officials said two officers stopped two suspects in a car at about 3:30 p.m. The suspects then took off on foot. During the pursuit, a six-year veteran of the department shot and killed a 23-year-old Milwaukee resident, who was carrying a semiautomatic handgun, police said.
The officer was not hurt.
Shortly after the shooting, Milwaukee Police Assistant Chief <culink title="" class="culinks" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51)!important;font-weight:400!important;" href="http://curiyo.com/en/topic/Bill Jessup" culang="en">Bill Jessup</culink> said at the scene that it wasn't immediately clear whether the suspect pointed the gun or shot at the officer.
"Those additional facts will come out in the coming days," Jessup said.
City police officials have not interviewed the officer, Jessup said. That responsibility will fall to the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, which is required by state law to take over officer-involved shooting investigations.
"That officer had to make a split-second decision when the person confronted him with a handgun," Jessup said. "This is a risk they take every day on behalf of our community."
Jessup said he didn't immediately know why the officers stopped the suspects.
Police said the suspect had a "lengthy arrest record," though the specific crimes were not detailed. The suspect was carrying a handgun taken in a March burglary in Waukesha. The owner reported that 500 rounds of ammunition also were stolen.
The officer is 24 and will be placed on administrative duty during the investigation and subsequent review by the district attorney's office.
The second suspect who fled on foot, also a 23-year-old man, was apprehended and is in custody, Jessup said.
The shooting occurred about one block northwest of the scene of a Friday evening homicide, and about four blocks west of a Saturday morning double homicide. Five people died in shooting-related homicides during a nine-hour stretch in the city on Friday night and Saturday morning.
"As everyone knows, this was a very, very violent 24 hours in the city of Milwaukee," Jessup said. "Our officers are out here taking risks on behalf of the community and making split-second decisions."
Nefataria Gordon said she knew the man who had been killed by the officer. "He was a nice good person. He was really respected. That's why everyone came out. They're angry."
The clash comes after a series of tense episodes in Milwaukee involving residents and police, including one just before the Fourth of July weekend near Sherman Park.
In early July, a group of several dozen young people threw rocks and bottles, damaging windows of a gas station and a county transit bus near Sherman Park. Law enforcement beefed up their presence for several days there. Some activists said it was an intimidating presence. At the same time, the incidents also led to a surge in residents and local leaders promoting positive activity there.
Protestors trying to take down a traffic light.
LIVE FEED.
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Police scanner......No video.....Just audio.
Just when I thought everything calmed down, & this breaks out.......something about summer time that makes these situations escalate out of hand.
I'm ready for winter, we don't see rioting & chaos much in the cold & dead of winter......black people hate the cold.
Next summer we will.see the same shit.......
I'm ready for winter, we don't see rioting & chaos much in the cold & dead of winter......black people hate the cold.
Next summer we will.see the same shit.......
