A Milwaukee Police Department officer was shot Jan. 27 shortly after receiving a call about a sickly man in a vehicle at 6:27 p.m. at 21st Street and St. Paul Avenue.
The officer approached the suspect, who was in a vehicle, for a welfare check requested by community members said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman at a press conference Jan. 27 at 10 p.m.
The suspect then exited the vehicle and revealed he had a fire arm, the police officer and suspect exchanged fire before the suspect stole the police officer’s vehicle.
The suspect then drove off and crashed into another vehicle on 17th and Clybourn. The suspect then fled the scene and was taken into custody by MPD on 17th and Wisconsin which is near McCabe hall, Humphrey Hall and The Commons. Those three buildings all house Marquette students.
Marquette University Police Chief Edith Hudson sent out a statement to the Marquette community Jan. 28 to address “rightful concern” about the situation that occurred the previous evening.
“First, I want to assure you that there was never an active threat to campus, and no one from the Marquette community was involved,” Hudson said in the statement.
Hudson said that caution tape remained at the scene after the suspect was taken into custody as it was an ongoing investigation.
The suspect has been identified as a 22-year-old male. This is the third shooting of a Milwaukee police officer in the past two weeks.
Milwaukee Police said the 26-year-old male police officer has been working with the MPD for seven years. The police officer was alive and breathing in hospital care as of yesterday night.
Other members of the Milwaukee community are sending their support for the officer.
“Another Milwaukee officer shot this evening, this time near 21st & St. Paul Avenue- Kathy and I are praying for this hero’s survival and for their family,” candidate for Milwaukee Mayor Bob Donovan said via Facebook.
Hudson also asked the Marquette community to keep the injured officer in their thoughts and prayers.
“Unfortunately, the incident involved the shooting of a Milwaukee Police Department officer, and I ask that you join me in praying for the injured officer and his family,” Hudson said in the statement.
Hayley Jamiola, a first-year student in the College of Engineering, said she overheard a student tell the desk receptionist at Eckstein Hall that he saw someone running toward him with an assault rifle.
“There were a bunch of students gathered on the corner out there, and police ended up dispersing the crowd. And then we ended up seeing them put up caution tape. And then we also saw someone getting put into an ambulance,” Jamiola said.
Nathan Koch, a first-year in the College of Engineering, said he was confused about what was happening due to the large police presence.
“It was just a crazy experience … Hopefully it doesn’t happen again,” Koch said.
Despite the event, Joshua Ryan, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, said he is grateful for police protection.
“[It was] just once in a lifetime — hopefully, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Ryan said.
Marquette University Police Department assisted MPD at the crime scene. MPD is currently investigating the incident.
Connor Baldwin, Aimee Galaszewski, Megan Woolard, Sarah Richardson, Timothy Littau, Julia Abuzzahab and Benjamin Wells contributed to this report.
This story is developing.
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