Waukesha County officer-involved fatal shootings justified: DA
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper determined two officer-involved fatal shootings from earlier this year were justified. She determined the lives of officers and other people were in danger in both cases.
FOX6 requested video from the Eagle and Waukesha police departments. Those requests have not yet been fulfilled.
Eagle shooting
On March 14, investigators said Matthew Blankman kept firing round after round from his home in Eagle. When deputies arrived, they said Blankman "raised his arm" and pointed a gun at them.
Opper noted deputies yelled "drop the gun" multiple times, and Blankman's girlfriend was trying to get him to go to an emergency room for a mental health evaluation. The district attorney said Blankman refused to leave without his gun, and two semi-automatic handguns were ultimately found next to his body.
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Law enforcement at County Highway LO and Lower Clarks Park Road, Eagle
The medical examiner's report found Blankman was shot four times, and toxicology found his blood alcohol concentration was 0.182. Delta-9, a form of THC, was also in his system.
Waukesha County deputies do not wear body cameras, but Opper said a sergeant from the Eagle Police Department was wearing one.
Waukesha shooting
On April 9, Waukesha police shot and killed Christopher Milakovich. Investigators said they found Milakovich in the CarMax parking lot near Kossow and Bluemound; one officer said he saw Milakovich sitting in the driver’s seat of a car on the lot.
Investigators said Milakovich had both hands in his pockets and ran from police. Opper said an officer’s taser didn’t stop Milakovich.
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Waukesha police shooting, Kossow and Bluemound
Officers fired at Milakovich when he crouched down and looked like he was taking out a gun. Ultimately, investigators said Milakovich was unarmed.
The medical examiner said officers shot Milakovich eight times. A drug screen also found methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system.