Knife-wielding man facing charges for incident that led to MPD officer being shot pleads not guilty
MILWAUKEE -- A man charged in connection with a Jan. 18 incident in which a police officer and suspect were injured was in court Thursday, Feb. 8 for his preliminary hearing. A detective testified and probable cause was found for further proceedings. Richard Cain, 48 then pleaded not guilty. He'll next be in court Feb. 19 for a scheduling conference.
The criminal complaint reveals why police encountered Cain. It started with a call from a family member.
Investigators say a cousin of Cain's called police to a residence they shared on South Hawley near Main St. According to the criminal complaint, the cousin "feared for his safety" stating that Cain was "armed with a screwdriver."
The cousin told officers Cain began to growl and clench up, and he was "talking like a demon." He stated he told Cain to leave several times, and that Cain then, "got on his knees and prayed."
The cousin left to contact family and police. The complaint says when police arrived, they tried to get Cain to come out of the house. He refused -- but police could see him through a window.
"The officers encountered a suspect who was armed with knives," said Investigator Thomas Stigler, Milwaukee Police Department.
One officer drew his gun. Two officers drew their Tasers.
According to prosecutors, Cain -- holding two knives -- eventually ran out of the apartment toward one of the officers with the Taser. The officer deployed the Taser but missed Cain with it.
Shooting near Hawley and Main
The complaint says body camera footage appeared to show Cain lunge toward that officer, who was able to "back up and get out of the way."
Shooting near Hawley and Main
It also states that the officer with the gun, "feared for the safety of himself and the other officers."
"One of the officers fired his duty weapon several times, striking the suspect," said Stigler.
The night of the incident, police said Cain was struck in the leg, and an officer was inadvertently hit in the foot.
The 21-year-old officer who fired his weapon has less than one year of experience on the force.
Cain is facing the following charges:
He made his initial appearance in court in this case on Jan. 27. He was given a $5,000 signature bond.