Man charged in Brookfield police shooting, Waukesha shots-fired incidents
Joseph Fliss
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - A Waukesha man faces more than a dozen felony charges in connection to a shoot-out with police in Brookfield and a series of drive-bys in Waukesha.
32-year-old Joseph Fliss has been charged with the following:
- Attempt 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- Operate Firearm While Intoxicated
- OWI Cause Injury (2+)
- PAC (Prohibited Alcohol Concentration) Causin Injury (2+)
- Hit and Run-Involve Injury Felony U
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- Endanger Safety/Reckless Use of Firearm
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- Endanger Safety/Reckless Use of Firearm
Fliss had his initial appearance in court on Thursday, March 26, where cash bond was set at $1,250,000.
A hearing is scheduled for March 31.
Brookfield officer-involved shooting
The backstory:
Brookfield police say when they first responded to a crash late Saturday night, Jan. 31, no one knew the driver was linked to a series of seemingly random drive-by shootings throughout the county.
The wreckage left behind from a crash Saturday on Barker Road in Brookfield also helped solve another crime.
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"Upon their arrival, they received information that a suspect had fled from the scene on foot," said Brookfield Police Chief Chris Garcia.
He says the then-31-year-old driver, later identified as Joseph Fliss, shot at his officers, and an officer fired back, hitting Fliss.
According to the criminal complaint, officers tracked footprints in the snow into a wooded area near railroad tracks before encountering Fliss. Investigators say Fliss fired multiple shots toward officers, who returned fire. Fliss was later found on the ground with a Glock 34 handgun nearby and taken to Froedtert Hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Brookfield police shooting; suspect shot, injured after firing at officers
A Brookfield police officer shot and injured a person after that person initially fired at officers late Saturday night, Jan. 31.
Investigation concluded
What we know:
It was investigated by the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, with the Milwaukee Police Department serving as the lead agency.
The Waukesha County District Attorney has ruled that the use of deadly force by the City of Brookfield police officer was justified.
The involved officer remains on administrative leave and will soon be returning to full duty.
Connection to Waukesha shots-fired incidents
The backstory:
When detectives started to look at the crashed vehicle and shell casings left in the area, they soon realized a connection to a separate crime.
Brookfield police shooting, Waukesha shots-fired incidents connected
Investigators say there’s a link between a shoot-out with police in Brookfield and a series of drive-bys in Waukesha.
"The suspect in their investigation was the same individual previously identified as a person of interest in our investigation," said Captain Joe Hendricks, Waukesha Criminal Investigations Division Commander.
Waukesha police say the man (Fliss) is the same person who shot at three homes in the City and Village of Waukesha on Jan. 24.
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According to investigators, surveillance video captured a vehicle matching Fliss' 2014 Honda Accord traveling near homes that were struck by gunfire. Officers later recovered shell casings and bullets from multiple homes.
Investigators also say seven shots were fired in one of the Jan. 24 incidents, damaging multiple areas inside a home where adults and children were present.
Investigators say the car and the gun match the Brookfield suspect.
Data recovered from the vehicle also showed Fliss was traveling up to 121 miles per hour seconds before the Brookfield crash. Investigators say his blood alcohol level later tested at 0.126.
They’re still looking into a possible connection to a home shot at in New Berlin.
"At this time, we don’t know the motive – we still have to do more investigation on that. We don’t know the why at this time," said Waukesha Police Captain Dan Baumann.
Police stress that these communities are safe and that these crimes are rare.
No officers or homeowners were hurt.
The Source: The Waukesha County District Attorney's Office provided the criminal complaint, and the Waukesha County Jail provided the booking photo. FOX6 has previously covered the Brookfield officer-involved shooting and the shootings in Waukesha.