Five Ohio police officers in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention shot and killed a man who was wielding two knives near the site of the event, Milwaukee’s police chief said Tuesday.
The incident took place about a mile (1.6 km) from the convention in a residential neighbourhood that includes a large homeless encampment. Shortly after 1 PM, a confrontation erupted between two men, one with a knife in each hand, the other unarmed, Milwaukee Chief Jeffrey Norman said at a news conference.
Columbus officers patrolling on bicycles happened to be in the vicinity and rushed to intervene. Police released body camera footage that showed officers on bikes talking before one of them says, “He’s got a knife.”
Several officers then yell “Drop the knife!” as they run toward two men standing in a street. When the armed man moves toward the unarmed man, the cops fire their weapons.
The shooting stoked anger among residents who questioned why out-of-state officers were in their neighbourhood, located about a mile from the convention site.
The Milwaukee police chief argued that the shooting did not only appear to be justified, but it may have saved the life of the other party in the dispute.
“Someone’s life was in danger,” Norman said. “These officers, who were not from this area, took it upon themselves to act and save someone’s life today.”
Thousands of officers from multiple jurisdictions are in Milwaukee providing additional security for the convention that began on Monday and concludes on Thursday. Authorities said there was nothing to suggest the shooting was related to the convention itself.
The knife-wielding man was identified as 43-year-old Samuel Sharpe. Milwaukee residents and the deceased man’s family held a vigil at night. They expressed outrage over the incident involving police from “outside”.
“They came into our community and shot down our family right here at a public park,” said Linda Sharpe, a cousin of the man who was killed. “What are you doing in our city, shooting people down?”
Sharpe said her cousin lived in a tent encampment across the street from King Park, where the shooting occurred. Some said Milwaukee police officers are familiar with many of those living in the tents and might have been able to de-escalate the situation.
(With AP inputs)
Source Agencies
