Woman charged for firing gun, says Sheriff said it was okay
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A Milwaukee woman has been charged for allegedly firing a weapon outside of a residence on Burleigh Street. According to the criminal complaint, the woman told officials Sheriff Clarke said she could do it.
36-year-old Makisha Cooper of Milwaukee has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon and endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon (under the influence of an intoxicant.)
The criminal complaint in the case indicates MPD's "shot spotter" system detected a gunshot fired.
The criminal complaint says when speaking with Cooper, she pulled out a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun that an officer determined was recently fired.
When speaking with police, the criminal complaint in the case indicates Cooper told officials she did not have a concealed carry permit, but was planning on applying for one.
The criminal complaint states Cooper told police she had heard Sheriff Clarke on the radio stating that she could own a gun to protect herself.
Sheriff Clarke made the rounds on cable networks on Monday, January 28th to defend his choice of words in a controversial public service announcement released Thursday, January 24th.
In the PSA, Sheriff Clarke says, “With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option. You could beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. But are you prepared? Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there.”
According to the criminal complaint, Cooper later admitted she had been consuming alcoholic beverages. A PBT revealed a BAC of .13.
According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page, Sheriff Clarke said in response: "There is no parallel between this case and what I said. How is this a personal protection issue? There is a difference between law-abiding gun owners and the drunk and stupid. Why did this Assistant DA undercharge this offense? This suspect should have been charged with a felony, as should anyone using a gun illegally. Under-charging, watered down prosecutions and other social engineering experiments are a contributing factor in the cause of gun violence in Milwaukee. When the Milwaukee County DA and the Milwaukee County judiciary begin to hammer people using guns illegally, criminals will alter their behavior. Instead, these soft-on-crime advocates choose to attack law-abiding gun owners, and their ability to be able to protect themselves."