MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police said an officer opened fire at a 29-year-old man that he feared was pointing a gun at him.
Assistant Chief Michael Brunson said officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at about 12:35 a.m. Wednesday near 21st and Concordia. They found a man with some kind of object. The man ran away, and officers chased after him and told him to drop what was in his hand. Police said the man then pointed the weapon at officers, and that's when police shot at him.
It's a sound Henry Randle said he isn't used to hearing in his neighborhood.
"I was laying in the bed and I'm watching TV, and then I hear a whole bunch of shooting (but it's usually) quiet. Everybody's barbecuing, everybody's having fun. So, what happened last night is something out of the ordinary,” Randle said.
"I heard three police cars, I heard the shooting, and I'm like what’s going on," said neighbor Ronnie Oliver.
The 29-year-old man is in stable condition after the shooting. He is expected to recover.
A gun was recovered at the scene, and the suspect was arrested.
Crimes happen here, but nothing this violent. Neighbors all said this is out of character.
"With the violence with the guns, you don't see too much of that around here. Lot of break-ins, car theft or robberies. Homicides and shooting? Stuff like that? Nah. I feel safe here actually." — neighbor Reggie Bogard
"None of that stuff go down like that every day," Reggie Bogard of Milwaukee said. "Since I've been here on this block, nothing going on like that."
According to crime incident maps provided by Milwaukee Police, a number of smaller crimes have happened but very few violent crimes near 21st and Concordia. The maps aren't precise as to the number of incidents police have investigated, but they're meant to help residents feel connected to what's going on in their neighborhood.
"With the violence with the guns, you don't see too much of that around here," Bogard said. "Lot of break-ins, car theft or robberies. Homicides and shooting? Stuff like that? Nah. I feel safe here actually."
It's a safety that's palpable walking down the street. Kids play on the sidewalks with their parents' watchful eyes on them. Neighbors wave hello to passing cars as they honk horns for greetings. The neighbors know each other and look after one another. To them, this is an anomaly but something they'll keep an eye on for the safety of each other.
"It makes you want to put your kids in the house," Bogard said. "You got a lot of car accidents and people breaking into houses, but that's minor. When somebody is shooting, you have to watch for the kids. They come first."
Police said the officer who fired shots at the suspect is 31 years old and has 13 years on the force. He'll be put on administrative duty, which is standard practice for a shooting such as this.
A community briefing will take place in 45 days, which is the efforts of Milwaukee Police to promote transparency within the agency and build stronger relationships with Milwaukee residents.
The Milwaukee Police Department will release body camera videos of instances such as these that involve members of the department. Those videos will provide context to "critical incidents" such as this, as well as preliminary information regarding these types of investigations. It's something they made a commitment to back in November 2018.
