Suspect shot at Children's one of thousands with "felony warrant"
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The 22-year-old man shot and injured by law enforcement officials inside Children's Hospital on Thursday afternoon, November 14th had a warrant out for "felon in possession of a firearm." Upon receiving a call suggesting the man was inside the hospital, Milwaukee police officers went there to arrest him.
FOX6 News spoke with Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke less than an hour before Thursday afternoon's shooting incident for a story about finding people with active warrants.
The man shot by police on Thursday at Children's is one of about 10,000 with felony warrants.
Sheriff Clarke on Thursday announced the capture of more than 100 people -- the majority facing felonies.
"Ranging from homicides to shootings and other serious assaults, felons in possession of a firearm, armed robbery, sexual assaults -- some against children and drug dealing," Sheriff Clarke said.
"Operation Manhunt" is a partnership between the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals, targeting the most serious and dangerous criminals in Milwaukee County.
"Finding subjects in an urban area who are trying to avoid arrest is labor intensive. These criminals are typically transient," Sheriff Clarke said.
While some are transient and others are in plain sight, law enforcement officials are constantly looking for them.
In fact, of the thousands with felony warrants, one was found at Children's Hospital on Thursday.
Sources say the suspect is identified as Ashanti Dickerson-Hendricks.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke says at 11:59 a.m., a call came into dispatch that there was an “active shooter” situation at Children’s Hospital. Officers with the Milwaukee Police Department were apparently there conducting a warrant pickup for Dickerson-Hendricks who was wanted for “felon in possession of a firearm.”
Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn says officers identified Dickerson-Hendricks in the neonatal unit of the hospital. He was holding a baby at the time. Flynn says officers engaged Dickerson-Hendricks in a discussion, told him of his warrant status, and the he initially complied with the officers’ requests and began to leave with them.
Moments later, Dickerson-Hendricks fled through the neonatal ward and into a hallway.
“While in that hallway, the suspect turned on the officers with a 40 caliber glock semi-automatic pistol in his hand,” said Chief Flynn. “One officer fired twice striking the subject in the arm causing him to drop the pistol.”
The suspect was captured and handcuffed a short time later. The weapon was recovered.
Dickerson-Hendricks was taken to Froedtert Hospital where his non-life threatening injuries were treated. The “all clear” was issued shortly after 2 p.m.
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