There was a police shooting of an armed man on Friday afternoon in Milwaukee and people gathered to protest the death of the man which catapulted the city into chaos. After a standoff between police and the angry crowd for a few hours, things escalated and soon cars, businesses, and even a gas station were set on fire to protest the shooting.
The Milwaukee Police News gives the details of the initial shooting that started the rage:
The incident began when two uniformed MPD officers stopped two suspects in a car in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street at about 3:30 p.m. on August 13. Shortly after stopping the suspects, both occupants fled from the car on foot. The officers pursued the suspects, and during the foot pursuit one officer shot one suspect, armed with a semiautomatic handgun, in a yard also in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street. The suspect died from his injuries at the scene.
The suspect is a 23-year-old Milwaukee man with lengthy arrest record. The handgun he was armed with was taken in a burglary in Waukesha in March of this year. The victim of that burglary reported 500 rounds of ammunition were also stolen with the handgun.
The officer is a 24-year-old, male, assigned to MPD’s District 7. He has six years of service with MPD, three years as an officer. He was not injured and, as is standard practice, will be placed on administrative duty during the investigation and subsequent review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
There have been unverified reports that the suspect’s name is Sylville K. Smith, and there is a person with that name who has been arrested in Milwaukee in the past. Numerous people from Milwaukee have been mourning a man by the same name on Facebook.
#MKE police shoot 23 yr old man, they say armed with gun & 500 rounds ammo stolen in Waukesha burglary Watch @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/sA3yKXsajB
— Michele Fiore (@michelehana) August 13, 2016
Mayor Tom Barrett says an officer with six years experience stopped a suspicious vehicle and two passengers ran from the car. The officer pursued one of the suspects and ordered the 23-year-old to drop his gun. The officer fired on the suspect and he was hit with two bullets; one in the arm and one in the chest. The officer was wearing a body camera at the time of the shooting.
https://twitter.com/aluthern/status/764691789517361152
Crowds started to gather early Friday night.
Here's the crowd gathered near the scene Sherman Blvd near Auer before the rocks started flying. pic.twitter.com/RfNOL57OJZ
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
Cars, including police cruisers, were set ablaze and bricks were thrown through windows.
https://twitter.com/aluthern/status/764641796588699649
Woman tells me bricks thrown at her van with a number of disabled passengers in it. Windows broken. Nerves rattled at scene of protest
— Michele Fiore (@michelehana) August 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/AlwaysActions/status/764703187047768064
Crowd breaks windows of unoccupied #MKE squad car near scene of where police shot a man this afternoon pic.twitter.com/4K4XdbO0Qs
— Michele Fiore (@michelehana) August 14, 2016
Another pic of the burning car. PPL on scene said it was a cop car. Hard to tell. Story. https://t.co/s97Hx2RQFI pic.twitter.com/TuZPlepFm5
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
Police and firefighters were not quick to put out the fires because some individuals were throwing rocks at them and there was gunfire in the area.
Police stand by as car burns. Was told it's not safe for firefighters due 2 rocks/gunshots https://t.co/s97Hx2RQFI pic.twitter.com/Ikziulg1fA
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
A bus stop was destroyed and dragged into the middle of the street.
#BREAKING: [VIDEO] People knocked down bus stop; barricade st in front the burning BP gas station in #Milwaukee https://t.co/Gzx5IczE9J
— Kris Cruz (@realKrisCruz) August 14, 2016
An auto parts store was set on fire.
Second fire breaks out at O'Reilly Auto Parts store at 35th and Fond du Lac: https://t.co/k0FX3C3D6m pic.twitter.com/ddQBfoJbRA
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) August 14, 2016
A beauty store was looted.
Violence erupts after officer-involved shooting https://t.co/atCEjmlF9o via @journalsentinel @aluthern #milwaukee pic.twitter.com/YYTGngDrIx
— Mark Hoffman (@MJSphotog) August 14, 2016
The windows at a bank were destroyed.
Violence erupts after officer-involved shooting https://t.co/atCEjmlF9o via @journalsentinel @aluthern #milwaukee pic.twitter.com/Tda7A4WFl7
— Mark Hoffman (@MJSphotog) August 14, 2016
Rioters started a fire at a gas station.
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/764669696708866048
https://twitter.com/AlwaysActions/status/764719652421468160
Many of the journalists at the scene believed their lives were in danger.
Just had rocks thrown at me photographing this burn car at Sherman Blvd near Auer. Police now retreating. Me too! pic.twitter.com/d5CNyHAQGs
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
Shots fired right in front of our car. Gunman ran by us while shooting. We're ok. Sherman and Burleigh is mayhem, no control @WISN12News
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 14, 2016
Shots fired right in front of our car. Gunman ran by us while shooting. We're ok. Sherman and Burleigh is mayhem, no control @WISN12News
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 14, 2016
This is what the BP gas station looks like now.
#Milwaukee police have left the area…This is a closeup look at the damage of the #BP @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/OTtuwMB6PP
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 14, 2016
Some aerial footage of the Milwaukee aftermath from last night. pic.twitter.com/55fn20QxcZ
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
The morning after the tumultuous series of events there is some hope. Volunteers are cleaning up the burnt-down gas station.
Cool moments after all the bad news from #Sherman #Burleigh–A lone citizen cleaning up #BP #Milwaukee @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/tXekLzDynf
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 14, 2016
More people joining in the cleanup #Milwaukee @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/GiNuLAq2a3
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 14, 2016
Just earlier in the day before the armed man was shot was this encouraging moment.
Kids checking out a @MilwaukeePolice squad. Handful of them saying they want to be officers when they grow up pic.twitter.com/PMIzEJmVqn
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) August 13, 2016
The night before, there were nine shot and five men were killed in shootings within a nine-hour span Friday evening and Saturday morning. All of the victims were men between the ages of 21 and 36.