A 31-year-old man was arrested after security caught him sexually assaulting a 33-year-old victim inside the Milwaukee Intermodal Station early Thursday morning.
According to Milwaukee police, the assault happened just after 6 a.m. Investigators say when security tried to stop the assault, the suspect became combative. Security fired a gunshot and the suspect was arrested.
TMJ4 spoke with multiple travelers Thursday morning and Friday afternoon about the assault. Many rely on the station and want to feel safe.
Watch: Alder. Bob Bauman fed up with safety issues at Intermodal Station
"Well I don't like that it happened, I will probably stay away from the bathroom. But it won't stop me from traveling," Patricia O'Hara said.
"You know you should be safe. Or make sure you can come down here and it will be safe," Craig Coleman said.
Alderman Bob Bauman, who represents District 4 where the station is located, said he has felt frustrated for years regarding the facility.
"A tragic situation, but I’m not surprised," Bauman said.
"We receive complaints from passengers that there are issues with the physical maintenance with the facility, that there are security issues," Bauman said.
According to city records, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation owns the building.
"The state of Wisconsin owns the building, and they refuse to take responsibility," Bauman said.
A spokesperson for WisDOT sent TMJ4 an email stating that Milwaukee Intermodal Partners operates the station.
"All questions about security and security footage should be directed to Milwaukee Intermodal Partners (MIP), who operates the Milwaukee Intermodal Station," the WisDOT spokesperson said.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Milwaukee Intermodal Partners LLC is based out of Playa del Rey, California. TMJ4 could not reach the owner.
"You do not see these things happening at the airport, somehow at the train stations, it’s okay?" Bauman said.
When asked if Milwaukee police should have a presence at the station, Bauman suggested the state could step in.
"No, the state of Wisconsin can bring in state troopers if they want. The state patrol is under the Wisconsin department of transportation," Bauman said.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation sent the following statement Friday afternoon:
"WisDOT coordinates very closely with our contracting partners, Milwaukee Intermodal Partners, Founders 3, and Titan Security who are responsible for maintenance, operation, and security of the Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MIS).
We are very concerned about Thursday’s incident and we are working to learn more about it from local law enforcement. As we learn more through the investigation, we will adamantly suggest any appropriate security adjustments to the partners responsible for the building’s security. While our department does not play a role in the day-to-day operations of the building, we will do everything we can to urgently advocate for the safety of all who use it."
This story was written and reported on-air by Megan Lee. It has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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