Ohio police officers who were in Milwaukee to assist with security at the Republican National Convention were involved in a fatal shooting on Tuesday. The incident occurred when officers from Columbus, Ohio, witnessed a 43-year-old man wielding knives and attempting to attack another individual.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman stated at a news conference that the officers intervened after observing the armed man in a confrontation with an unarmed individual. Despite commands to drop the knives, the suspect charged at the other man, prompting five officers to open fire and ultimately kill the assailant.
Chief Norman emphasized that the officers acted to protect a life in danger, as evidenced by the recovered knives at the scene. The altercation was believed to be unrelated to the ongoing Republican National Convention, which had heightened security measures in place following recent events.
The shooting took place within the convention's outer security perimeter, where the Columbus officers were assigned. Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed the incident and released body-worn camera footage from one of the involved officers.
The video shows a brief encounter where officers respond to the altercation, identify the armed man with knives, and instruct him to drop the weapons. When the suspect moves towards the other individual, the officers discharge their firearms, resulting in the man falling to the ground.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, while emphasizing the swift actions taken by the out-of-town officers to prevent further harm during the Republican National Convention.
