Out-of-state officers fatally shot a man blocks away from the RNC, angering Milwaukee residents

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Five Ohio police officers in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention shot at a man who was in a knife fight near the convention, killing him, Milwaukee’s police chief said Tuesday.

The man who members of the Columbus, Ohio, police department shot had a knife in each hand and refused police commands, Milwaukee Chief Jeffrey Norman said at a news conference. Two knives were recovered from the scene, the chief said.

“Someone’s life was in danger,” Norman said. “These officers, who were not from this area, took it upon themselves to act and save someone’s life today.”

Thousands of officers from multiple jurisdictions are in Milwaukee providing additional security for the convention that began Monday and concludes Thursday.

The shooting fueled anger from residents who questioned why out-of-state officers were in their neighborhood located about a mile from the convention site.

The Columbus Police Department, as well as the chief of staff for Milwaukee’s mayor and a spokesperson for the convention’s joint command center, all said there was nothing to suggest the shooting was related to the convention itself.

Milwaukee residents and activists quickly converged on the site of the shooting, many of them expressing outrage about the involvement of a police department in town because of the convention. Dozens of police officers stood behind police tape at the scene, declining to answer questions about what had happened.

What to know about the 2024 Election

• Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
• AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
• We want to hear from you : Did the attempted assassination on former president Donald Trump change your perspective on politics in America?
• Read the latest: Follow AP’s live coverage of this year’s election.

“They came into our community and shot down our family right here at a public park,” said Linda Sharpe, a cousin of the man who was killed. “What are you doing in our city, shooting people down?”

Sharpe said her cousin, who she identified as Samuel Sharpe, lived in a tent encampment across the street from King Park, where the shooting occurred.

Residents said the man was well known among locals and others who lived in and near the encampment.

Kenneth Johnson, a volunteer with Friends Without Shelter, said he often dropped off food to the man and others who lived in the tents — and questioned what an out-of-state officer had been doing at the location.

“They shouldn’t have jurisdiction to be in this area. This isn’t near where the zones are,” Johnson said. “These are tent communities over here, they shouldn’t be over here.”

In a statement, the Columbus Police Department said the shooting was “within the operational zone to which our officers were assigned.”

The Columbus Police Department has received attention because of its special unit deployed to Milwaukee that works to improve police-community relationships and had a visible role in guiding the largely uneventful protests on Monday.

The shooting happened near King Park, roughly a mile from the convention center, where a small group of protesters gathered before marching on Monday. That demonstration was followed by dozens of Columbus police officers, wearing blue vests that read: “Columbus Police Dialogue.”

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said an adult male was shot and killed. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday.

The Milwaukee Police Department didn’t respond to an email seeking more details about Tuesday’s shooting.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the Columbus Police Department, not the Fraternal Order of Police, said the Columbus officers were operating within their assigned area.