MPD demonstrates how officers interact with armed suspects

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Police on Saturday, April 27th shot and killed a man armed with a knife -- for the second time in five days.

Traci Nowicki is mourning the loss of her brother, Chris. She says a dispute broke out on Saturday night, and police were called.

Police say Chris Nowicki was armed with two knives and refused commands to drop the weapons before police say Nowicki advanced toward them. An officer discharged a firearm, and Nowicki was shot. Milwaukee Fire officials responded to Nowicki at the scene, but he succumbed to his injuries.

"He didn't have a gun. I can understand officers fearing for their lives, but he didn't have a gun. I don't think he had to die," Traci Nowicki said.

On Monday, FOX6 News was on hand as Milwaukee Police officers showcased some of the training officers receive when encountering armed subjects in the field.

Lt. James MacGillis says many times, officers have to decide within a split second how to respond to a threat. It is estimated a person can cover 21 feet in a second-and-a-half.

"That gives officers very limited time to decide how they're going to handle it," Lt. MacGillis said.

Police say the weapon an officer uses depends on his or her perception of the threat.

"We're trained to stop the threat. When we're going to use deadly force, we shoot to stop the threat. We don't shoot to kill. We shoot to stop the threat -- understanding that people may die from deadly force," Lt. MacGillis said.