Milwaukee police shooting, chase: Officer's use of force 'reasonable'
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, July 21 the fatal police shooting of Herman Lucas near 91st and Silver Spring in February was a reasonable use of force under the circumstances.
A letter from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office to Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman laid out the decision of the office – as determined by a Waukesha Police Department-led investigation. It stated the use of force by the officer was "consistent with his affirmative obligation to protect the lives of potentially endangered citizens as well as his own life in the performance of his duty."
Case details
It started with a Feb. 21, 2023 traffic stop near 70th and Thurston. Officers pulled over a car for driving without license plates. Body camera video shows the car had initially pulled over – but took off when the officer got out of the squad.
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Another officer later spotted the car speeding westbound down Silver Spring and a chase ensued. In the bodycam video, the officer said they were driving 80 mph – the fleeing car well out of view.
The chase ended near 91st and Silver Spring when the fleeing car ran a rad light and crashed into another vehicle. The driver – later identified by the medical examiner's office as 31-year-old Herman Lucas – was seen on police video getting out of the wreck and running off.
Officer-involved shooting near 91st and Silver Spring, Milwaukee
The letter to Chief Norman said "Lucas ran from the car while being armed with a pistol. Surveillance video from the gas station shows Lucas running with a firearm in his hand. He was followed on foot by (the officer), who could see Lucas holding a semi-automatic handgun. (The officer) repeatedly ordered Lucas to drop the gun, but Lucas did not do so and continued running westbound through the gas station parking lot.
"While running, Lucas at times looked back over his shoulder toward (the officer) running after him. Lucas then ran into a chain link fence, causing him to fall and drop his firearm. While being ordered to drop the firearm, and with (the officer) in clear sight, closing the distance toward him, Lucas picked up the firearm." At this time, the officer discharged his firearm at Lucas, fatally wounding him.
Officer-involved shooting near 91st and Silver Spring, Milwaukee
Officers retreated, the video shows, and moved in with a "tactical approach." The video showed officers drag Lucas by the leg along the ground, and his gun was found underneath where his body had been.
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Officers moved Lucas to attempt life-saving measures on level ground while a supervisor requested additional medical help – which police said is standard procedure. Bodycam video showed an officer performing chest compressions. Lucas died at the scene.