MILWAUKEE — If there is a fan that deserves to go to the Super Bowl, Milwaukee police officer and Cincinnati Bengals superfan Herbert Davis III, who was recently shot in the line of duty, is at the very top of the list. Now, there is a GoFundMe to help him get there.
Click or tap here to support Officer Davis' GoFundMe.
Officer Davis, 26, was shot multiple times the night of Jan. 27 while performing a welfare check on a person who was slumped over in their car. He was fortunately released from the hospital the following day and is beginning the recovery process.
Suspect Jetrin Rodthong, 22, has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and use of a dangerous weapon.
On Jan. 30, the police officer and die-hard Bengals fan, went viral as video showed him reacting emotionally to the news that Cincinnati was going to the Super Bowl.
The GoFundMe will help pay for potential tickets to the Super Bowl, medical expenses, and flying his family in from Alaska, among other things.
"We want to make sure he gets through this and is able to accomplish every goal he’s possibly dreamed of by serving the City of Milwaukee and any funds collected will go directly towards his healing. Including beginning a family with his fiancée, who’s also part of the MPD family. Additionally, his Father and Sister both reside in Alaska. To be able to have them by his side at this time would mean the world to him. Even the slightest bit of financial help will aid in his recovery and with all of the expenses incurred by this tragedy. And possibly get him to the Superbowl! Go Bengals!!! Thank you for all the love and support he’s been given, ❤️" the GoFundMe said.
Davis is a lifelong Bengals fan, growing up in a house divided. His father was from Ohio and passed on his love for the Bengals, while his mother is a die-hard Packers fan.
Davis has been recovering from the gunshot injuries at home.
“He is working on his healing, trying to get rest. He’s in great spirits” says his mother Crystal Thompson.
She says he’s in great spirits because he has a lot of family by his side, and of course that win by his favorite team. Davis was brought to tears after watching Sunday’s AFC Championship game win, which sent the team to the Super Bowl.
“We understand that it is going to be a lot longer healing process than physical. So that was our motivation to start the page, but when we saw the feedback from everybody saying get him to the Bengals game, get him to the Bengals game” said Elizabeth Sharifian, Davis’ future mother-in-law.
The family is now working to make that happen, either by raising enough money with their fundraiser, or hoping someone with connections will help them out.
“He’s the nicest guy you will ever meet and he just deserves this and so much more,” says Sharifian. “He cried when they got the field goal, I can only imagine what it will be like… to be like, oh we got you Super Bowl tickets. He’ll probably pass out,” his future sister-in-law Madison Rowe said.
When Davis was shot, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman made a point to thank the citizens that helped Davis before paramedics could get to him. Davis’ family echoed that.
“We can not put into words what that means to us, how grateful we are for them. The people having his back has just been amazing to us” said Sharifian.
Davis, only 26, has been with the Milwaukee Police Department since he was 18-years-old.
The shooting happened around 5:53 p.m near 2101 W. St. Paul Ave on Jan. 27.
Officer Davis approached the car and saw that Rodthong was slumped over inside, according to the criminal complaint.
The officer asked Rodthong to exit his car. When he did a gun dropped and Rodthong tried to run.
The officer grabbed him by the arm and the two struggled. That's when the officer's body camera fell to the ground, according to a complaint.
The dash camera picked up the rest of the altercation, according to the complaint. During the struggle, the officer appeared to back away from Rodthong who was seemingly chambering a cartridge.
The officer bent behind the vehicle Rodthong was in while reaching for his gun. Rodthong then walked towards the officer, aiming a gun at him. The officer continued to move away from Rodthong and get his gun. When he turned to face Rodthong with his gun in hand, Rodthong fired, the complaint states.
The officer fell to the ground, clearly injured, according to the complaint. Rodthong hid by the car he was in as the officer fired several shots in Rodthong's direction.
Finally, Rodthong ran to the officer's squad car, got in, and drove off, prosecutors say.
Rodthong drove to the area of Clybourn Street and 17th Street when he crashed into another vehicle. Rodthong fled that scene on foot. That's when he was arrested by responding officers. According to the complaint he had multiple gunshot wounds.
Rodthong was searched and taken to Froedtert hospital for treatment. Police found several items in his pocket which tested positive for opiates, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. According to the complaint, Rodthong then admitted to using meth and heroin before his altercation with the officer.
He also admitted to having a pink 9mm in his waist prior to the exchange.
Rodthong went on to tell police he got out of the car when asked because he did not want to go to jail again. But, when the officer was going to put his hands behind his back, all Rodthong could think about was getting away.
When asked what happened next, Rodthong just repeated that he wanted to get away, according to the complaint.
Rodthong's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9. A cash bond has been set for $1 million.
