MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Police say an armed suspect was shot by two officers Wednesday morning during an exchange of gunfire.
Around 5:45 a.m., police responded to a “shots fired” call near 101st and Bender. When officers arrived at the scene, police were told by witnesses that someone was firing shots at an apartment building on that block.
Police were able to locate the suspect. They ordered him to put his firearm – but he refused – and shots were fired.
"The officers believed they were shot at," Morales said. "There's some evidence to show us they were shot at. The body camera videos are being uploaded at this time. I want to have that solid before I tell you. The officers believed they were shot at and are informing us, they feared and they observed the subject shooting at them."
The suspect was struck by gunfire and was taken to an area hospital. As of 9 a.m., he was listed in “critical condition.”
Residents in this area were surprised to hear what happened just a few blocks away from them.
"It's a rural-like area while you still live in the city," Shirley Turner said. "But not like this. You can hear shots coming from that direction and stuff but not to where I have to go and duck for cover."
Shirley and her daughter woke up to lights and sirens around their home. It was a scary sight but they say this isn't representative of the neighborhood.
"We have to do better as a community as citizens," Theresa Turner said. "We have to do better. It happens everywhere. You don't think it's going to happen in your neighborhood until it does."
"I was actually here, on the ground in this neighborhood on that block three weeks ago," Ald. Cavalier Johnson said. "Knocking on doors, talking to constituents of mine in the neighborhood and everyone told me, Alderman, things are fine. Nothing to see here."
Johnson says calls like this are extremely rare in this neighborhood. He says it is filled with families and children. It could be seen early this morning as large, yellow school buses had to maneuver around a crowded intersection because of the investigation.
"It's nice. It's quiet," Johnson said. "We like our neighborhood and then something like this erupts. It's frustrating something like that happened in a neighborhood like that.
Johnson says, residents need to be even more vigilant after criminal incidents like this to make sure the neighborhood maintains the peace and calm they're used to.
"When things like this happen, we need you to be more vigilant," Johnson said. "We need you to keep your eyes open more. We need you to activate your public spaces. When you do that, that tends to send a message to folks who are the bad actors in the neighborhoods to get out of here."
As a part of the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, the Wauwatosa Police Department will be the lead agency involved in the shooting investigation.
As with any officer-involved shooting, the public wants transparency with the investigation. Alderman Johnson says there is no issue with that here.
"People in my district and quite frankly throughout the city should feel some comfort in the fact the police department is being very open and very transparent about this," Johnson said. "The first call I got this morning was from Chief Morales' chief of staff on this incident. They're briefing the public, letting them know about what happened in their neighborhood and this city."
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said the officers involved were not physically injured but were taken to the hospital to be evaluated. No other injuries were reported.
Police say they're unsure if there were multiple shooters but they found multiple firearms on scene.
There is no danger to the public at this time.
Stay with TODAY’S TMJ4 for further updates on this developing story.
