Update: Three Wauwatosa police officers were shot by a man at the Radisson Hotel overnight, police said in an update on Monday.
Previous story:
WAUWATOSA — Both of the officers were rushed to the hospital and are now in stable condition. The suspect is in custody, according to Wauwatosa police.
It began when officers were called for reports of gunshots on the second floor of the hotel at 2303 N Mayfair Rd. around 10:33 p.m. Saturday.
There, officers spoke with witnesses and guests who told them the initial shots came from the second floor. As officers started to check the floor, two officers were hit by gunfire.
Police said they sustained non-life threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital.
TMJ4's Vince Vitrano was attending an event at the hotel at the time of the shooting.
He said he saw a woman come running from the elevator area, yelling as at least two police squads pull up to the hotel. Then, he noticed three or four officers with long guns standing in the lobby.
In a Facebook live video he recounted the experience:
A suspect in the incident was found and arrested.
No other injuries were reported. Police conducted an extensive search of the hotel, according to a statement.
In a statement, Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride said, “I am grateful for the courage and dedication of the Wauwatosa police officers who were injured in the line of duty last night. I know the entire community joins me in condemning this senseless violence and in wishing our officers a swift recovery.”
TMJ4 also spoke with several guests who stayed overnight and checked out Sunday morning.
Rochelle, a Milwaukee native visiting from Phoenix, said she went to check in about 11 p.m. but was told to wait in the lobby. She chose instead to wait in the first floor bar.
"And that's when everything took, a fall. We heard shots from the second floor. We never knew it was a police officer wounded until the last minute. So yeah, we was down there on the floor a pretty long time," said Rochelle.
Other guests, like Moni, from Garland, Texas, also spent time huddled on the floor of the bar.
"You fear for your life. You don't know what to do. I've never been in a situation like that. So you just kind of hope the officers know how to deescalate and get what they need to get," said Moni.
Eventually, the group of guests returned to their seats and were offered a drink on the house.
Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride shared a statement on the shooting saying, “I am grateful for the courage and dedication of the Wauwatosa police officers who were injured in the line of duty last night. I know the entire community joins me in condemning this senseless violence and in wishing our officers a swift recovery.”
The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team (MAIT) was activated to handle the investigation.
