Police shooting in Milwaukee sparks violent protest
Last Updated Aug 14, 2016 1:29 AM EDT
MILWAUKEE - A crowd of protesters skirmished with police Saturday night in a Milwaukee neighborhood where an officer shot and killed a man after a traffic stop and foot chase earlier in the day, setting fire to a police car and torching a gas station. One officer was hurt by a thrown brick.
Police said the 23-year-old man was armed with a handgun. Mayor Tom Barrett said the officer ordered the suspect to drop the weapon, but he refused. The officer then shot the suspect twice, Barrett said, adding that the officer was wearing a body camera.
Assistant Chief Bill Jessup told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it wasn't immediately clear whether the man had pointed a gun or fired at the officer. They described the man as a suspect, but didn't say what led to the traffic stop.
The races of the man and the officer weren't immediately released.
Police with shields and helmets moved slowly into an intersection after 11 p.m., telling a crowd of about 50 people to disperse. Protesters threw rocks and other debris at police, who held up their shields. At least two bus shelters had been thrown into the street, with their glass shattered.
Protesters also began throwing objects at a business a half-block from the intersection. A nearby traffic light was bent over.
Police tweeted that shots had been fired and at least arrests were made.