Milwaukee officials on Monday sought to tamp down on rumors that a black man shot and killed by an officer on Saturday was not armed, as police grappled with the aftermath of another night of violence in the wake of his death.
An 18-year-old man was shot in the neck, and four officers and four deputies were injured Sunday night, with at least one officer hospitalized after the windshield of his cruiser was struck by a rock. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said officers came under gunfire, with the windshield of an armored vehicle struck twice by bullets.
Fourteen people were arrested Sunday night for disorderly conduct, and police said ShotSpotter, which detects the sound of gunfire, recorded 30 activations Sunday night through early Monday.
“This was not an evening of insignificant risk for our officers,” Chief Flynn said.
Violent protests broke out in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood following Saturday’s fatal shooting of a black man, 23-year-old Sylville K. Smith, by a black police officer.
Officials sought to correct false information they said was being disseminated around the community, with Chief Flynn calling the rumors that Smith wasn’t armed “totally wrong.” The officer who shot him was wearing a body camera that recorded the interaction, but the footage has not been released.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he had seen a still-frame from the officer’s camera that showed Smith holding a firearm.
“I want the video to be released,” Mr. Barrett said, noting that the Wisconsin Department of Justice is conducting an investigation. “I believe the video will provide a lot of context as to what is going on.”
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting — as it does each time a suspect dies as the result of an action or inaction by a law enforcement officer.
The state agency, led by Attorney General Brad Schimel, doesn’t release the videos of a shooting or death until an investigation is complete and a district attorney has decided whether to issue charges.
However, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the Wisconsin DOJ is considering trying to make the video available to the public earlier in an effort to ease tensions in the community.
Smith was shot after fleeing a vehicle that police attempted to stop Saturday. Police have said that Smith was shot in the chest and arm after he ran into a fenced area and turned toward the officer pursuing him. They said there was no evidence he fired the gun he was carrying.
Officials said Monday they plan to more strictly enforce a 10 p.m. curfew for teenagers following the second night of unrest.
“After 10 p.m. your teenagers better be home,” Mr. Barrett said. “It is not the place you go to gawk, it is not the place you go to take pictures, it is not the place you go to drive your car around right now.”
Sunday’s violence was more subdued than the Saturday demonstrations that led to a series of fires being set that damaged eight local businesses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms announced it was offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in setting fires that damaged local businesses.
Chief Flynn blamed outside agitators for ratcheting up the level of violence on Sunday, noting that a group that associated with the Chicago chapter of the Revolutionary Communist Party showed up at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday and got involved in demonstrations as they began to turn violent.
Of those arrested Sunday night, however, the chief indicated that all of the 14 taken into custody were from Milwaukee.
The city was prepared for another tense night, with the National Guard on standby.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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