Off-duty Milwaukee police officer shoots, kills armed man

MILWAUKEE - An off-duty Milwaukee police officer shot and killed a man after what investigators described as a "minor vehicle accident" on the city's north side Thursday morning, Oct. 9.

Shooting investigation

What they're saying:

It happened near 47th and Mill. The Milwaukee Police Department said the off-duty officer was on his way to work around 8:25 a.m. when it happened, and both drivers pulled over and got out of their vehicles.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

While assessing the accident, MPD said the other driver – a 26-year-old man – pulled out a gun and hit the off-duty officer in the face with the weapon. The off-duty officer then drew his service weapon, and the two exchanged gunfire.

The 26-year-old man died at the scene. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner identified the man as Elijah Wilks.

The off-duty officer was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the altercation. No one else was injured.

"How does a minor accident change into a deadly force situation? Unacceptable. We have to be better than this," said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.

MPD identified the off-duty officer as a 40-year-old man with more than 21 years of service. The Milwaukee Police Association told FOX6 News that he has since been released from the hospital.

Elijah Wilks

What they're saying:

Loved ones identified the 26-year-old man as Elijah Wilks. Tensions are high after a morning filled with grief and confusion.

"All this is like a shock. Still in shock, disbelief even," said Cardell Bonslater, Wilks' stepfather. "Why did you kill him? Why did you shoot him that many times? What is the reason?"

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Unique, a friend of Wilks', said she was on FaceTime with him at the time – and claims he didn't hit anyone with a gun.

"All I heard was get on the ground," she said. "It’s not the truth at all. It’s not the truth at all."

Captured on video

What's next:

The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team will investigate the shooting with the West Allis Police Department as the lead agency. The off-duty officer will be placed on administrative duty, which is routine.

MPD said video of the incident will be released within 15 days. 

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional information.

Official statements

What they're saying:

Ald. Larresa Taylor:

"Earlier this morning, I hosted an event for middle and high school girls aimed at raising awareness around human trafficking to help prevent the exploitation of our youth.  It was during the set up for this event that I was informed about the shooting involving an off-duty officer that took place near 48th St. and Mill Rd. It is with great sadness that our community suffered a loss of life as a result of an otherwise minor traffic accident.

"Staff from the city’s Office of Community Wellness and Safety (OCWS) were participating in our youth-centric event, and through collaboration with my office, they deployed more than 15 street outreach teams, including members from Promise Keepers and Critical Response Teams. Clinicians were also on site to provide support to affected families and residents in the area.

"I want to thank the OCWS for being so responsive and assisting me with staying abreast of today’s incident, and for being a truly invaluable asset for the city.

"As a community, I hope we can come together to avoid incidents like this in the future. No argument or altercation should escalate to gun violence. We can and must be better."

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNewsMilwaukee Police Department