Milwaukee police officers shot, man charged with attempted homicide

Police officers shot, man charged

A Milwaukee man is now charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide, accused of shooting and wounding three police officers on Thursday, Sept. 5.

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is now charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide, accused of shooting and wounding three police officers on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Prosecutors said 35-year-old Keith Jeter fired shots at officers, who then returned fire, at an apartment building near 91st and Custer. Jeter was also shot and wounded.

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The Milwaukee Police Department said its Special Investigation Division, as well as the US Marshals Service, were looking for a 35-year-old man, now identified as Jeter, who was wanted for several crimes – including domestic-violence-related false imprisonment and sexual assault.

A criminal complaint states officers went into Jeter's apartment after "extensive knocking" and announcing "police." When officers got inside, they began to sweep the apartment and shots rang out.

Shooting at 91st and Custer, Milwaukee

One officer described hearing a "barrage of gunfire" and, believing he was shot, fell onto a mattress, the complaint states. That officer also described feeling spent bullet casings hit him as he tried to cover his body with his ballistic shield. He also said "chunks of drywall" were flying. A woman in a neighboring apartment heard bullets come through her wall and she ran out with her 2-month-old baby, prosecutors said.

"That (expletive) shield saved my life," another officer said, per the complaint. "Otherwise, I was dead. (Expletive) hit me so many times."

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The complaint states, at one point, Jeter said: "If I come out with my hands up, and show you the guns now, can you just shoot me?" Jeter then threw two guns into the hallway and ultimately crawled out of a bathroom. He had been shot in the arm and was taken into custody.

A total of 254 bullet holes and strikes were found, according to prosecutors. There were 58 bullet casings fired from officers' weapons, and 14 bullet casings fired by Jeter. Four officers returned fire, police said.

Jeter in custody

Detectives interviewed Jeter. According to the complaint, he said he knew he had a warrant out for his arrest and said he works as an unarmed security guard "but goes armed so he gets paid." He also said he knew he was not legally allowed to carry a gun but does so anyway "because Wisconsin is an open carry state."

When he saw police outside and heard officers trying to get his attention, he armed himself, the complaint states. He told detectives he would "rather go to the morgue than to jail." He also said he called a man and told that man: "I promised my mom that if this day comes, I would basically make the police shoot me, you don’t have to do much, just raise a weapon at them, act like you’re going to charge at them, they going to shoot to kill, suicide by cop, I’d rather that then go to jail or prison."

Keith Jeter

Jeter said once he saw a "big black shield" open the door to the closet he was hiding in, the complaint states, he shot first "to make them open fire" and proceeded to shoot into the floor.

In all, Jeter is charged with:

Attempted first-degree intentional homicide (four counts)
First-degree recklessly endangering safety (two counts)
Possession of a firearm by a felon (two counts)
Felony bail jumping

The four officers that discharged their duty weapons during this incident are a 39-year-old man with over 16 years of service, a 40-year-old man with over 12 years of service, a 43-year-old man with over 19 years of service and a 49-year-old man with over 19 years of service. The four officers will be placed on administrative duty.

MPD's homicide unit is handling the investigation. The officers were wearing body cameras, and MPD said video will be released to the public in the coming days.