A 43-year-old man was killed after five Columbus, Ohio, police officers discharged their weapons in response to an argument between two individuals outside of the Republican National Convention (RNC) security area in Milwaukee on the afternoon of July 16.
Milwaukee Police Department Chief Jeffrey Norman said at a press conference later in the evening that 13 Columbus police officers in town to assist with the RNC were assigned to bicycle patrol when they observed a man wielding knives during an altercation with another individual.
The Ohio officers were not on duty at the time of the incident but were gathered to receive a briefing, the chief said.
Despite repeated commands to drop the weapons, the suspect allegedly charged at the other person, prompting several officers to discharge their firearms, fatally wounding the suspect, Mr. Norman said.
No other injuries were reported, and two knives were recovered from the scene, he added.
The Greenfield Police Department will lead the investigation, Mr. Norman explained, with assistance from the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team.
The officers, who were briefed on local “areas of concern” outside of the security zone prior to the incident, were cooperating with the investigation.
Initial body-worn camera footage of the shooting was released by the Columbus Chief of Police Tuesday evening. It shows the officers standing together, speaking before one of them points out there is a fight nearby in which one of the individuals appeared to have a knife.
The group of officers approached and advised the individual to drop the knife before opening fire. No other body-worn footage has been released.
“The incident took place in the outer perimeter of the RNC, within the operational zone to which our officers were assigned,” Columbus Chief Elaine Bryant said in a statement.
“In the interest of transparency, I am releasing body-worn camera footage of the shooting. I have been in contact with the Milwaukee Police Department to advise them of my decision to release this footage. To avoid compromising the integrity of the active investigation being conducted by the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, the Columbus Division of Police Public Records unit will release the remaining videos in accordance with the investigation.”
The Milwaukee press conference also addressed concerns about out-of-town officers dealing with local incidents, with Mr. Norman stating that the officers were responding to an immediate threat to someone’s life.
The chief did not confirm the name of the deceased individual or any of the officers involved in the shooting.
Prior to the press conference, the only information on the incident was provided by Ohio-based Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) organization, which confirmed in a statement that members of Ohio’s Columbus Division of Police were involved in the shooting.
Lodge President Brian Steel, in a press conference also held Tuesday afternoon, confirmed that multiple Columbus police officers were providing support for the RNC. He didn’t provide additional information as Wisconsin authorities are still investigating the incident.
“Columbus Police Officers along with multiple officers from multiple jurisdictions nationwide are at the RNC to support Milwaukee police with security for the event.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson told several media outlets earlier in the day that the shooting happened outside of the security perimeter of the RNC convention.
