What we know and what we don’t know about fatal officer-involved shooting on Milwaukee’s northwest side

A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting on Milwaukee’s far northwest side Oct. 9.

Authorities say the shooting stemmed from a minor vehicle crash between a man and an off-duty police officer.

Here’s what we know.

Who died in the officer-involved shooting?

The man who died was identified by a family member as Elijah Wilks.

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the man was 26 years old.

Family members said Wilks had been on his way to a family member’s funeral later in the day when the crash occurred.

Who is the police officer involved in the shooting?

The name of the police officer has not been released. Norman said the officer is a 40-year-old man with more than 21 years of service. He was placed on administrative duty, per department policy.

Where did the incident occur?

According to the Milwaukee Medical Examiner’s Office, the man died near 4805 West Mill Road, at the scene of the incident.

What happened?

At a news conference, Norman said an off-duty police officer in plain clothes was driving to work when he was involved in “a minor vehicle accident” with another vehicle.

As the vehicles were stopped, the driver approached the off-duty officer and pulled out a firearm. The man then “proceeded to strike the off-duty officer in the face with his firearm,” Norman said.

Norman said the off-duty officer drew his department-issued firearm, and the two men exchanged gunfire. The police chief said he could not confirm who shot first.

No one else was struck by the gunfire.

The 26-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the police officer was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries.

What are the updates on the investigation?

Norman said the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team is investigating the incident, with the West Allis Police Department as the leading investigating agency.

The police chief said it is a “fluid and ongoing investigation.” He said there is a “very clear” video of the incident that will be released at a later time, in accordance with the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission’s investigative procedures.

What has response to the shooting been like?

Video circulated widely on social media showing the aftermath of the shooting, depicting a man on the ground in front of a car and another man standing holding a gun.

As officers responded to the scene of the shooting, family gathered. Tensions were high, with some people shouting at officers.

At the news conference, Norman asked people to be patient with the investigative process in light of details circulating on social media.

He also spoke out about violence in the community.

“This is a story that happens too often in our community here. How does a minor accident change into a deadly force situation? Unacceptable,” Norman said. “We have to be better than this. There is no place for violence for these particular types of minor, or even just argumentative, disputes.”

Arguments escalating into violence is the most common factor leading to homicides in the city since 2020, with about 29% of all homicides involving an argument or fight, according to police data through Sept. 2.

What don’t we know about the shooting?

Authorities have not released specific details about the officer’s condition. However, Norman said the officer was struck in the mouth with the firearm, and Alex Ayala, president of the Milwaukee Police Association, said the officer was treated at the hospital for injuries to his face.

Norman said “words were exchanged” between the two men before they fired their guns, but details about what exactly what was said — and whether or not the officer identified himself as law enforcement — has not been released.

It is not known which person fired first. Norman said video will be released, but did not specify where the video is from. The officer was not in uniform at the time of the incident, and therefore not wearing a body camera.

David Clarey of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What we know about fatal officer-involved shooting in Milwaukee