MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee police say an officer shot and injured a man after he allegedly refused to put down weapons during a welfare check early Monday morning.
Both the man who was shot, and the officer were taken to the hospital, but are expected to make full recoveries.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffery Norman said during an early morning press briefing that the 24-year-old officer conducting the welfare check, found the body of a 75-year-old Milwaukee woman inside the home.
It happened just after midnight on North Booth Street, between Meinecke and North Avenues, in the city's Riverwest neighborhood.
"It's crazy to wake up to so many cop cars on your block," said Alexxa Vassar. "You never think something like this will happen so close to home. It's crazy and sad. I'm waiting to find out how the woman died."
The chief says there were no visible signs of trauma to the deceased woman's body. Her cause of death is under investigation.
A neighbor called Milwaukee Police asking them to do a welfare check at the woman's home. When the 24-year-old officer arrived to do that, a 31-year-old man allowed him inside.
Soon after, police say the officer found the body of the woman. The officer tried to detain the man but he resisted and a struggle began, the chief said.
The suspect armed himself with "a pole and weight" and the officer commanded him to drop the weapons, police said. But the man did not and the officer fired his gun, hitting the man.
The officer, who has been with MPD for four years, will be working on administrative duty pending a full investigation, per department protocol.
According to neighbors, the 75-year-old woman suffered from dementia. She had told them the 31-year-old man living with her was allegedly a cousin. They say he has an intellectual disability, and that it was not a healthy living situation between the two of them.
"We have to look out for one another," said George Woods, 78, who's lived on Booth Street for nearly 25 years. "If we see something that's not right with one our neighbors, it's our job to say something, and that's what happened."
"I think it's honestly so important as a neighbor to say something if you think something is off," says Jace Krocka, who is staying in the home next door.
The Milwaukee Police Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident. A "Community Briefing" YouTube-style video will be released by the police department, the chief said.
