"I was really shocked:" Some backing MPD after officer-involved shooting of robbery suspect



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Some Milwaukee residents are backing the Milwaukee Police Department following an officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday afternoon, March 9th at a Dollar General store near Locust and Humboldt.

Police say the 20-year-old who was shot continues to receive treatment at the hospital for serious injuries.

Customers who frequent the Dollar General store where the shooting happened say it's been robbed several times in the past, but it has never escalated to a situation like what we saw on Monday afternoon.

"I was really shocked there was a shooting. There have been plenty of robberies over there but nobody ever got hurt," Jean Jones said.

When the crime tape came down, the "store closed" sign went up.

It was around 3:00 p.m. Monday when an armed man attempted to rob the store.

Jean Jones lives next door. She says she comforted the clerk who was inside the store at the time.

"We was all worried about how she was doing. She saw him coming from the park that way and he had a hood on and someone from the building was coming to the store. She immediately told him to call 911 and they did. The cops came and everything happened," Jones said.

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn says two officers responded and encountered the armed, masked man in the midst of robbing the store.

"He refused demands to drop his weapon and apparently turned toward the officer -- one of our officers and seven-year veteran, age 38, fired one shot, striking the suspect. The suspect then shot himself," Chief Flynn said at the scene Monday.

Neighbors say the shooting was unfortunate, but feel in this instance it may have been warranted.



"They have to protect themselves. If somebody has a gun, you never what they are going to shoot or who they are going to shoot," Jones said.

Monday marked the third time since December this Dollar General store was robbed. For everyone's safety, customers hope there will be changes.

"The best things I believe they should do is put security in there. I think they need a security guard. They don`t have that," Jones said.

Dollar General has not gotten back to FOX6 News regarding our inquiry about security guards.

Police say the suspect in this officer-involved shooting has an arrest record with the Milwaukee Police Department. He is currently on probation in a 2013 disorderly conduct case.

The officer in this case is on administrative duty. The Wisconsin Department of Justice is handling the investigation into this shooting.

Since January 5th, 2015, the Wisconsin's Department of Justice has started to investigate six officer-involved shootings. Three of those were fatal -- one in Milwaukee, one in Green Bay and one in Madison.