Wauwatosa Radisson Hotel shooting video released

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Body camera video shows a shooting at the Radisson Hotel Nov. 6, 2021, that left three Wauwatosa police officers injured. 

Bullet holes marked an entire hotel hallway, but no one was killed.

Despite the danger they faced, the injured officers were not thinking of themselves. They were more concerned about their colleagues and the innocent people still inside the hotel.

On that November night, someone inside Room 221 refused to come out, with officers unknowingly in the line of fire. 

Captain Luke Vetter was working the Command Center. 

Officers responded to a shootout between two teenagers in a hotel hallway. They would later learn the teens left the scene. Unknown to police, a third person armed with a gun was hiding in a room. 

Police began going door-to-door in the hotel. 

"We came across dozens of people that were hunkered down, terrified," said Captain Vetter.

One person told police they were "about to take a shower" when a round came through the door. 

Officers found several bullet casings on the second floor. They checked one more room, which led to gunfire. 

Sgt. Kurt Svatek, Sgt. Edward Tyrpak and Officer Matthew Martell suffered gunshot wounds. One officer had hand and leg injuries, another had injuries to both legs and the third had leg and foot injuries. 

They returned fire, retreating to safety as backup arrived. 

Sgt. Svatek was hurt, but concerned for his colleagues.

"No, I'm fine. Deal with him," said Svatek. 

Even while receiving medical attention, the officers didn't stop trying to help.

"Kurt, there was a girl across the hallway," said an officer.

"I know. We have to get her out," said Svatek.

"It’s unbelievable to me, the composure that they had," said Vetter.

Another vantage point shows the exchange of gunfire. Fifteen minutes after bullets went flying, Kenneth Burney, 33, surrendered.

He's standing trial on 10 charges, including three counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. 

All three of the injured officers recovered and have returned to work.