Friends say a man shot and killed by two Milwaukee Police officers Sunday night was legally blind, and was trying to break up a fight when he was gunned down.
The victim was identified as 37-year-old Antwon Springer of Milwaukee.
Officers were called to the 4400 block of 4400 block of N. 39th Street after receiving reports of a large fight in the street with armed individuals. Police say officers shot Springer after he fired his weapon after they arrived, but prior to the officers approaching him.
Two of Springer's friends told TODAY'S TMJ4 that he was suffering from diabetes and legally blind at the time of the shooting. They say Springer didn’t mean to harm anyone and was pointing his gun in the air to fire a warning shot.
“His intention was to stop everybody from fighting before it lead to someone getting killed,” Springer's friend, Charmaine Anderson, said.
Assistant Police Chief William Jessup told reporters early Monday it was too early to tell where the shots were directed at.
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"We did recover the weapon, there are casings on the scene to indicate that the weapon was discharged,” Jessup said.
Springer's friends are disheartened that police released information that Springer was a convicted felon without adding any context. Court records show Springer was convicted of a non-violent felony in 1999. As a convicted felon, he was barred from legally owning a weapon.
The two officers involved in the shooting are on paid leave. The Wauwatosa Police Department is investigating the shooting. A spokesperson said they did not have any new information to release Monday.
