WAUWATOSA — Wauwatosa Police say a teen fired a shot first outside of Mayfair Mall before he was shot and killed by a police office Sunday.
Dash camera video from Wauwatosa Police shows the moments a 17-year-old was shot and killed. Family members identify the teen as Alvin Cole. Wauwatosa Police say he fired a shot as officers chased him.
In the video you can hear an officer yelling, "Get on the ground. Get on the f***ing ground."
Then the sound of a shot.
Ten second later a officer fires five times. You can hear on video, "Get down. Get down. Get down on the ground now."
Then five shots.
"Anyone who brings a handgun into a crowded shopping mall and threatens another guest of the mall is a matter of concern. In this case it was a 17-year-old with a gun," said Chief Barry Weber.
The Milwaukee Police Department is now investigating this shooting. The dash cam might be the only video evidence they have because Wauwatosa Police do not wear body cameras. TMJ4 showed the video to Robert Willis. He is a use of force expert and a 30 year police veteran.
"What sticks out is the fact the officer several times identified there was a gun. 'Drop the gun, drop the gun, drop the gun.' So it seems to me there is not a question in the officer's mind what he is dealing with. Again, there is opportunity for the subject to surrender. So i don't think anyone could say this was a rash judgment on the officer's part," said Willis.
Willis said despite having video evidence of the shooting there is not enough information known yet to say whether the shooting is justified.
"I think this is a little tiny piece of this giant mosaic of what happened," said Willis. "There could be instances when it was justified to shoot and there could be instances where it wasn't justified.
TMJ4 reached out to Alvin Cole's family and their attorney. The family said they are not ready to make any more statements. Their lawyer said he will not be talking until Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office finishes their investigation.
