Supervisor Moore Omokunde Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting
'Like my constituents, I want answers.'
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde released the following statement in response to Sunday’s officer-involved shooting at the lakefront.
“I’m concerned by the fact that Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputies would choose to aggressively pursue a vehicle so close to a crowd of people along the lakefront, which could have resulted in serious injury to innocent bystanders.
“Like my constituents, I want answers. A lot of people are saying “If a white person was driving that car, the deputies wouldn’t have shot them.”
“Whether or not this is true, this is the public perception and we have to acknowledge this, because we can’t have constructive community-police relations with this kind of dynamic.
“It’s time for a review of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office policy for pursuing suspects who flee in a vehicle, especially when that pursuit is going take place in a densely populated area like Milwaukee’s lakefront on a hot summer afternoon.
“With the Milwaukee Police Department, we know that police pursuits only occur when someone in the car is actively committing a violent felony or is “a clear and immediate threat to the safety of others.”
“We do not know what the written policy is for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, which is required by Chapter 346 of the Wisconsin State Statutes.
“I’m calling on Sheriff Clarke to immediately release his written guidelines for officers engaged in vehicular pursuit of suspects.
“We may have to wait for all the facts to come in regarding this incident, but we should not have to wait one more day to see the sheriff’s policies on pursuing suspects.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Sup. Supreme Moore Omokunde
Fleeing an officer at a crowded lakefront and driving over a curb sure seems like it starts to get into that category, no?
You’ll try to claim “they weren’t armed”…but they were armed with a 5000lb vehicle and already showing complete disregard for safe operation of said vehicle.
Also, thanks for making sure to include some race baiting in your press release. You tried to hide it with “people are saying”, “might be true”, and “perception” … then go on to decry substantive progress when we have “this kind of dynamic”. Maybe changing the dynamic doesn’t start with anyone with a leadership title then…
…continued: No, reckless driving alone does not warrant being shot and shooting at a moving vehicle is a pretty dangerous tactic probably best left to the movies. Let’s wait for some statements from Office Truax on why he felt compelled to use deadly force.
” Let’s wait for some statements from Office Truax on why he felt compelled to use deadly force ”
We already know what he’s going to say…” I saw Black People in car….that’s all I needed to used deadly force”
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That’s why our shop offers %50 discount on bulletproofing services for non-white residents of Wisconsin
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Note to the County Supervisor, You can get the pursuit policy by walking down the hall and making an open records request.
But you cant expect an adult who slashes tires to do something productive. So stick with a PR.
This is a perfect example of why pursuits should not hinge on whether the driver is known to have committed a violent felony. They didn’t know that the driver had committed violent felonies before, but he had. Thanks to their pursuit, he was apprehended. They should assume anyone who tries to flee has committed a violent felony.
“They should assume anyone who tries to flee has committed a violent felony.”
Why when we know that isn’t the case? Also, what’s your take on criminal justice experts saying that the officer was totally wrong to fire at a moving car since he risked shooting innocent bystanders or hitting the driver and turning the car into a missile? Are they wrong despite their expertise on these matters?
Fleeing police in a vehicle is a felony and in a crowded area or at high speeds can be highly dangerous and violent in itself… so everyone who tries to flee in a vehicle can likely be considered to be performing a violent felony.
As to your “experts” I haven’t read anything about that. I did see the criminal’s record, the witnesses who stated they clipped one pedestrian and almost hit others, and another witness who said he was shot at by the criminal just the day before. It was the criminal who decided to drive extremely dangerously in a busy area and thus he is responsible for whatever the outcome may be. I’ll wait for all the facts and better video, but it also looked like the driver swerved toward the officer in the median.
Looks to me like it was the right call. Glad they ended it there before he drove several miles through a packed lakefront (which he surely would have done even if the pursuit was broken off).
Read today’s paper AG. It is very informative. I recommend reading it daily. People like you benefit enormously. If you had read it, you’d know what the experts (which is what they are, and you are not) said about the decision to shoot at a moving vehicle. Just because a bystander wasn’t hit doesn’t mean it was the right decision. Officers make mistakes AG. Imagine that.
Vincent, you don’t have to be a condescending troll who likes to use personal attacks… it’s a choice. You should reconsider your choice.
“Experts have said shooting into a moving vehicle carries great risk, and there are few scenarios where law enforcement officers would be justified to do so.” Sounds to me like there could be cases where it is warranted. Officers do make mistakes, did I say they didn’t? Please cite where you believe I did. I also never said that firing into a vehicle wasn’t a very dangerous decision and could be the wrong call. Please cite my statement where you believe I said that.
You can continue to make personal attacks and put words in my mouth (or just plain believe I said something I didn’t) but from my understanding of this situation based on the circumstances, the crowds, the history of the criminal driving… I think it was the right call. Streets are safer today then they were before Sunday… it’s really sad that someone had to lose their life to make it so.