Statement from Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis R. McBride

Yesterday, eight people were shot at Mayfair Mall. Fortunately, all eight have survived and are believed to be recovering. Mayfair Mall is secure but is closed today.

Preliminary investigation by the Wauwatosa Police Department (WPD) indicates that the shooting was the result of an altercation and not a random act. WPD investigators, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are continuing to interview victims and witnesses to identify and apprehend the suspect. If anyone has information about the suspect’s identity or location, please convey that information immediately to the WPD.

Wauwatosa is a safe and vibrant community. Mayfair Mall is Wisconsin’s premier shopping center. Events like this shake us, but a community as strong as Wauwatosa is will not lose its spirit because of this unfortunate incident and Mayfair will continue to be a magnet for shoppers across the region. The City and Mayfair are committed to ensuring that all who live in and visit Wauwatosa will remain safe. The City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention has offered its services to anyone affected by yesterday’s event. I thank that Office for its generosity and encourage people to take advantage of those services.

Guns have no place in shopping malls or other places in which crowds of people gather. Mayfair has a strict no-gun policy. If the shooter had complied with that policy, no one would have been hurt yesterday.

On behalf of the community, I thank the officers of the WPD and nearby police departments for their protection of shoppers, employees, and other members of the greater Milwaukee community. I also thank the Wauwatosa Fire Department for its quick work in attending to the victims’ injuries and transporting them safely to the hospital. Finally, I thank the people of Wauwatosa for their strength and determination. We have survived past challenges and we will survive this one.

The WPD will provide additional information as it becomes available. We appreciate the community’s patience and support as this investigation proceeds.