Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said an off-duty Milwaukee detective sustained life-threatening injuries when he was shot multiple times Thursday afternoon after intervening in an attempted robbery in the Third Ward.
Norman said the robbery involved an attempt to steal a vehicle with three children inside.
Other officers later arrested an 18-year-old male and a 17-year-old male who, police said, fled the scene of the shooting in a vehicle.
Norman and Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson briefed reporters during an evening news conference at the intersection of Water Street and St. Paul Avenue.
Johnson, who is running in next month's mayoral primary, had just introduced a public safety plan on Wednesday. The proposal included attempting to keep guns away from people who cannot legally obtain one.
After two years of record-setting homicides, Johnson said the violence has continued this month.
"Since 2022 began, we've had a 9-year-old, a kid, who was shot. We had a 16-year-old at work, who was shot and was killed," Johnson said."And now, even a police officer, off-duty, who has been shot and is now in a hospital bed. Enough! Enough! Folks in this city have had enough with the violence, particularly the deadly gun violence we see plaguing this community year in and year out."
Johnson said he plans to work with the state to reduce gun violence in the city.
In a press release Thursday night, another candidate for Mayor, Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas, said that addressing violent crime in Milwaukee will be his top priority.
Norman said the wounded detective is 37-years-old and a seven-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Department.
