Oak Creek Police Chief outlines Sikh Temple shooting timeline

OAK CREEK -- Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards, along with other officials Monday, August 6th addressed the media regarding Sunday morning's shooting at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek. During the media briefing, Edwards laid out a timeline as to the events that occurred Sunday.

Chief Edwards said 27 agencies responded following the initial 911 calls that came into Oak Creek Dispatch just before 10:30 a.m.

The FBI has taken the lead on this investigation, and several agencies are assisting.

Chief Edwards said Oak Creek Police Lt. Brian Murphy was among the first to the scene, and came upon a victim in the parking lot of the temple. Lt. Murphy began to render aid, when he was "ambushed" by the shooter, whom officials have identified as Wade Michael Page, a 40-year-old ex-military veteran.

Chief Edwards said Lt. Murphy was shot eight or nine times, and waved off officers who approached to provide aid, urging them to go into the temple and assist other potential victims.

Other officers approached Lt. Murphy and carried him away from the scene. He was later transported to Froedtert Hospital where he had surgery for gunshot wounds. He was listed in critical condition in Froedtert's Surgical ICU as of Monday afternoon.

Other officers then approached Wade, who was not complying with officers' commands. An Oak Creek police officer "engaged" Wade, who was "an active shooter," and "took him down."

Officers then made sure Wade was no longer a threat, and set up a perimeter around the temple, and the scene then became a tactical situation. Several tactical teams arrived on the scene, including K9 units and the Milwaukee County Bomb Squad.

Officers cleared the temple, and then did a grid search of about three square miles with tactical teams and air support.

Then, a door-to-door knock-and-talk took place -- where officers met with residents in the neighborhood to ensure all were safe.

The scene was then turned over to the FBI for the investigation portion of the incident.

"We train for active shooters, and in my mind, (the officers) are all heroes. They are all senior officers who did exactly what was expected of them. They helped another officer, and stopped a worse tragedy from happening," Chief Edwards said Monday.

Six lost their lives in the temple shooting, along with the gunman, Page. Three were injured and taken to Froedtert Hospital with gunshot wounds. A fourth victim was taken to Wheaton-Franciscan Hospital where that individual was treated and released.

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