SHOREWOOD — A Shorewood police officer was shot while responding to a report of a shooting Thursday morning, according to Shorewood Police Chief Heather Wurth.
According to the chief, who held a news conference Thursday morning, officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting just before 3 a.m. Thursday, July 3, near Bartlett and Kenmore.
Wurth said that as the officers were responding to the scene, one of the squad cars took fire from an unknown assailant, with at least two rounds striking the windshield and another round hitting the passenger side of the vehicle.
The chief said that an officer took a round into a vest and was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. He has since been released and is “in good spirits.”
Watch: Resident recounts hearing gunshots early Thursday morning
The condition of the two other victims who were also injured in the shooting is not being released due to the active nature of the investigation; however, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to TMJ4 that it was called to the scene.
Wurth said the incident did not appear to be a random act of violence and condemned the violence, saying that police officers need the community's support now more than ever.
“Our officers are doing an incredibly difficult job, under difficult circumstances, and facing inherent risks, and the support of the public, given the circumstances in Milwaukee, and certainly now here in Shorewood — we need the community support more than ever,” Wurth said.
Watch: Shorewood police chief calls for end to attacks against officers following shooting of officer
Wurth shared that police did not discharge their weapons, that they are still searching for the suspect, and that she does not believe there are any threats to the public at this time.
The chief also called for people to report active acts of violence and to report those who own guns illegally.
“We need individuals to report active acts of violence, because we know that people know this is going on,” Wurth emphasized. “We know people have guns illegally, and we need reports that that’s occurring, and we need the community’s help to end this tragic, tragic violence.”
The shooting comes just a week after two Milwaukee police officers were ambushed in a shooting near 25th and Garfield on June 26.
Officers Kendall Corder and Christopher McCray were responding to reports of an armed subject in a residential neighborhood.
Officer Corder was fatally wounded, while McCray sustained gunshot wounds to his right foot, right thigh and back.
Tremaine Jones, the man accused in the shooting, was charged with the deadly shooting Tuesday, July 1.
Wurth recalled last week's violence during the press conference on Thursday, expressing frustration about the recent violence against law enforcement.
“I just want to state how incredibly challenging a situation like this is, given the circumstances that Milwaukee is facing — excuse me — and the risks that our officers are facing, doing their job every single day, the inherent risks that they face and the attacks that they are under,” Wurth said. “The violence in this community — Milwaukee, Shorewood — and the attacks against our officers has got to stop. This is — it’s got to stop. It’s got to stop.”
The shelter-in-place order, issued earlier Thursday morning, has since been lifted.
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