'Tough for all of us:' Officer Rittner honored at Milwaukee bar where he got engaged to his wife



Luke Mitchell



MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner served his community for 17 years with the department, and his country as a member of the United States Marine Corps, but at Henry's on Belleview near Downer, he was just Matthew.

"This is tough for all of us," said Luke Mitchell, longtime customer. "This stuff happens and it's like, you don't know why."

Henry's became a special place for Officer Rittner and his wife, who worked behind the bar. It's where they got engaged.

Krista Dunn



"The picture of them shows just how excited and how looking forward to the future they both were," said Krista Dunn.

On Monday, Feb. 11, staff at Henry's prepared to donate 100 percent of proceeds on Tuesday to Officer Rittner's family.

"It's just hard to imagine that he was here and now he's not. When anything happens to anybody else, good or tragic, we all pull together," said Dunn.

Officer Rittner died at the hospital after he was shot while executing a search warrant near 12th and Manitoba on Wednesday morning, Feb. 6. He became the third Milwaukee police officer to die in the line of duty in eight months.



The fundraiser at Henry's was set for 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Meanwhile, There will be a private visitation for Officer Rittner on Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 3:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. for Milwaukee Police Department members, Milwaukee Fire Department members, retired sworn MPD members and their significant others and military personnel. The private visitation will be held at Oak Creek Assembly of God Church.

Officer Rittner's public visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 at the Oak Creek Assembly of God Church, located at 7311 S. 13th Street in Oak Creek. A service will follow the visitation, and police honors will be conducted outside following the ceremony.

A procession will begin after the police honors from Oak Creek Assembly of God Church to the Krause Funeral Home, located at 21600 W. Capitol Drive in Brookfield.