Milwaukee officer shot; search warrant filed reveals new info on crime
MILWAUKEE - We are learning new information about an hours-long standoff that happened near Lincoln Park in Milwaukee on Tuesday, Jan. 2. An officer was shot and wounded in that incident – and four children were held hostage.
A search warrant filed on Wednesday, Jan. 3 said the suspect was live-streaming the entire incident on Facebook – and he is the father of the kids held hostage.
Milwaukee police were dispatched to a residence near 18th and Fairmount Tuesday morning for a domestic violence call. The search warrant said a woman called 911. She said the father of her kids choked and beat her – and had a gun. Police said he had a criminal history.
Police officer shot, wounded near 18th and Fairmount, Milwaukee
"A lot of fear. Probably cycles of violence that were happening in that home and the more we don’t address that the worse it gets," said Sojourner Family Peace Center President Carmen Pitre.
When police got to the house, court documents say both the mother, the 25-year-old suspect and four kids were inside. Investigators said they saw the suspect at the front door with a rifle. When they tried to diffuse the disuation, the search warrant said that is when the suspect fired at police. One of those bullets hit a 38-year-old police officer in the leg.
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"If an officer is going to be murdered, nine times out of 10 it’ll be at a domestic violence incident," Pitre said.
Carmen Pitre
In this situation, the officer is expected to survive.
Pitre told FOX6 News she immediately thought of the kids involved in this incident.
"For the kids who are witnessing this happen in their lives, they need attention, healing and time," Pitre said.
Police officer shot, wounded near 18th and Fairmount, Milwaukee
Pitre said children in Milwaukee are exposed to violence too often. In 2023, she said there were unofficially 37 domestic violence homicides. In 2022, there were 49. Pitre said the near-fatal homicides are just as concerning.
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The identity of the man arrested has not been revealed because he has not yet been formally charged.
Help for wounded officer
A Go Fund Me account has been established for the wounded officer, identified by the Milwaukee Police Association (MPA) as Dan Morrell.
Morrell has been with the Milwaukee Police Department for 16 years. He is recovering from a broken femur and a nicked artery. Doctors are unsure of his recovery time – or whether he will ever have full mobility in his leg as he did before.
The MPA said in a news release, "We use the word "hero" when we talk about Dan, and his family is facing a significant hardship in the coming months as his wife will need to take time off from work while caring for him…we encourage donations that will help defray what will be unforeseen medical expenses, rehabilitation, and daily living costs as Dan and his wife navigate a life they never anticipated."
The Milwaukee Police Association (MPA) will also be setting up a fund that will become active soon for tax-deductible donations.