Protesters confronted Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies at Milwaukee's lakefront Wednesday, days after one of them shot a 19-year-old man near there.
Terry Williams died at the hospital Tuesday, and his family was at Wednesday night’s protest. Also in the crowd were two women who were in the SUV with Williams when he was shot. One of those women suffered a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
Protesters lined up across from sheriff’s deputies yelling and cursing at the law enforcement officers.
James Nash, the father of Terry Williams, was worried the two sides would clash.
“I don’t want any clashes going on,” Nash said. “I don’t understand why some of these people are trying to cause chaos. Right now, I am just trying to get through burying my son.”
Williams’ mom was inconsolable. Her only comfort came from looking at a picture of her son.
They said Williams’ 3-year-old daughter keeps asking for her dad.
“We all miss him every day,” Nash said. “I miss just being with him. Talking to him.”
Nash and other family members have a message for Deputy Michael Truax, who investigators said shot Williams as he sped away from a traffic stop.
“I hope he gets punished for what he’s done,” Nash said. “He should lose his job for that. He should go to jail for the rest of his life. He cold-blooded murdered my son.”
Authorities said a gun was recovered from the SUV Williams was in. Nash says that doesn't mean it was his son’s gun, and that it doesn't justify the shooting. But he does want kids to start taking notice.
“These young kids need to put these guns down and stop all the violence,” he said. “They seem to act like they don't understand. Get a basketball or football and go play. You're ruining other people's lives, when you shouldn't do it.”
The protest was peaceful. No arrests were made.
Just a few hours earlier, Milwaukee police confirmed that Williams was a suspect in a shots fired incident on Saturday, the day before he was shot by Truax. Police say Williams shot at another man near 57th Street and Silver Spring Drive.
The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation into what happened, and is asking anyone who saw the shooting, or recorded it, to come forward.
