MILWAUKEE — The Columbus Division of Police released body camera video Tuesday showing what led up to the fatal shooting of a man near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The shooting happened just after 1 p.m. about a mile from the Fiserv Forum, in the outer perimeter of the RNC where the officers were assigned, Columbus police said in a statement.
Milwaukee Police Department Chief Jeffrey Norman said in a press conference Tuesday evening that 13 uniformed Columbus officers assigned to bicycle patrol were talking over daily events and being briefed in their assigned zone when they observed a 43-year-old man with a knife in each hand. The man was fighting with another unarmed individual.
In the bodycam video, officers can be seen standing in a circle, when one officer says “He’s got a knife. Yes, he does.”
Multiple officers can be seen looking back toward the road and are then heard yelling, “Hey,” as they begin running toward the man.
As they get closer to the armed man, one officer yells “police” as other officers shout at the man to drop his knife.
The man is then seen turning to the other individual and officers fire multiple shots, fatally striking the man.
Norman said five officers discharged their firearms.
Two knives were recovered at the scene. No officers were injured in the incident.
"They had been here for a couple of days and understanding that there was something that happened right in front of them, at the time they were talking to each other and this event unfolded in front of them," Norman said. "In fact, this is a situation where somebody's life was in immediate danger. Again, two knives were recovered from this particular situation, someone's life was in danger, these officers who are not from this area took upon themselves to act to save someone's life today."
Columbus police, as well as the chief of staff for Milwaukee's mayor and a spokeswoman for the convention’s joint command center, all said there was nothing to suggest the shooting was related to the convention itself.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said to avoid compromising the integrity of the active investigation, the Public Records Unit will release the remaining videos in accordance with the investigation.
The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team is actively investigating.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther released the following statement regarding the shooting:
"In the interest of transparency, the Columbus Division of Police has released body-worn camera footage that shows that Columbus’ officers acted in accordance with their training to prevent physical harm to a potential victim.
Columbus officers were guests in Milwaukee, but they take an oath to protect and serve, wherever and whenever they are called to service.
The City of Columbus will support a full and thorough investigation of the events that transpired, in accordance with local policy and local law. We continue to defer to the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team for further updates on the status of the investigation."
