Long Chase, Downtown Shootout Leads To Death of Homicide Suspect
Southside traffic stop results in chase that ends at Water Street bar district.
Ernest Terrell Blakney. Image from MPD.
A several-mile-long police chase ended in a downtown bar district shootout between a homicide suspect and Milwaukee Police Department officers early Saturday morning. The suspect was fatally shot and one bystander was injured.
The description of the individual provided by MPD and images of the vehicle, including the license plate, seen in videos circulating on social media are consistent with that of 47-year-old Ernest Terrell Blakney.
The department, in a press release, said officers first observed the vehicle and suspect on the 2200 block of W. National Ave. at approximately 10:50 p.m. and attempted a traffic stop. But the driver did not stop and a resulting chase, according to MPD, went throughout the city.
It ended when the vehicle became disabled on E. Juneau Ave. just west of N. Water St., one of the key blocks of the Water Street bar district.
“The suspect jumped out of his vehicle armed and an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and officers occurred,” said assistant Nicole J. Waldner in an early morning press conference. The press release says that the suspect was fatally shot and his firearm was recovered.
Eight officers were involved, each of which has at least three years of experience. They will be placed on administrative leave. The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team will investigate the incident with the Oak Creek Police Department serving as the lead agency.
“This is a fluid and ongoing investigation,” says the early morning release.
The Water Street bar district has been plagued by violent incidents in recent years, but based on MPD’s initial description it appears it was the site of the shootout solely because that’s where the long chase ended. “We were lucky,” said Waldner of the lack of large crowds outside in the street.
Blakney was out on $5,000 bail awaiting sentencing on a 2021 charge of second-degree sexual assault of a child. He previously pled guilty to that charge and was awaiting an Oct. 20 sentencing hearing.
The criminal complaint filed against Blakney for the homicide is available on Urban Milwaukee.
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This dangerous incident never should have happened! Another violent criminal (sexual assault of a child) allowed to be on the streets on bail. This clearly could have been much worse. But it never should have been allowed to happen at all!