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Sunday Updates on Fatal Milwaukee Police Shooting, Aftermath

Credit Bonnie Petrie
Mayor Tom Barrett at a news conference on Sunday afternoon with Alderman Ashanti Hamilton and Police Chief Edward Flynn (not pictured).

For updates, follow @WUWMradio on Twitter or this post from Monday.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn held a news conference Sunday afternoon to share details about the investigation into Saturday's events. Barrett said there is a photo that shows "without a question" that the African American man who was fatally shot by police was holding a gun.

"There were 23 rounds in that gun, which means that he had more bullets in his gun than the police officer had in his gun," he added.

Barrett also said four officers were injured in the violent protests. All have been treated and released from the hospital.

Flynn, meanwhile, says the officer who fatally shot the man also is black.

The man's mother, Mildred Haynes, identifies the man who was shot as 23-year-old Sylville Smith. She says Smith had a two-year-old son.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reportedthat Smith was charged in a shooting last year, and later was charged with intimidating the victim, in an effort to stop the victim from testifying. The felony charges were dropped for reasons that are not yet clear.

Credit Rachel Morello
Gov. Walker speaking with Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan at the Blue Day rally in support of law enforcement in Glendale.

Earlier Sunday, Walker issued a statement saying he has "activated the Wisconsin National Guard to be in a position to aid local law enforcement upon request."

Walker said he made the decision after discussions with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Adjutant General Donald Dunbar, and following a request by Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.

Clarke urged Walker to mobilize the National Guard, saying "we cannot allow for a repeat" of the violence that broke out on the city's north side on Saturday night.

City of Milwaukee officials had said overnight that local police were equipped to handle the situation.

At a pre-planned rally in Glendale, organized in support of local law enforcement, Governor Scott Walker responded to the violence in Milwaukee. "Sadly, we've seen it elsewhere around the country. And my sense is that in states where the governors waited too long, that it escalates. Our hope is that it would escalate here," Walker said. "But if again God forbid, it continued, we want to make sure we have the resources to help local law enforcement."

Sunday evening at a news conference, Sheriff David Clarke requested Gov. Walker send the national guard to the city.

Clarke said he doesn't know if the troops will be needed to maintain order, but he'd rather be safe than sorry. "It's about being prepared for the worst, you hope for the best, hope's not a plan," he said. "You prepare for the worst, and if you never need all of these, fantastic."

Clarke says all of his off-duty officers are standing by in case they're needed Sunday night.

VIEW: TIMELINE OF EVENTS SATURDAY INTO EARLY SUNDAY

Credit Michelle Maternowski
The BP gas station on W. Burleigh St. and N. Sherman Blvd.

Protesters burned several buildings, fired guns, looted and vandalized parts of Milwaukee's north side in the wake of a police officer's fatal shooting of a man on Saturday afternoon. Police say the man, who had fled a traffic stop, was armed with a semiautomatic handgun.

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