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Off-duty officer shooting, family sees video
An off-duty Milwaukee police officer shot and killed an armed man. Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr said he is representing that person's family. After watching the video, the family acknowledged the police department's account of what took place and said it was "justified."
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said a man attacked an off-duty officer and was killed when the two exchanged gunfire. The man’s family and friends initially said that couldn’t be true. Then they saw the video.
47th and Mill shooting
The backstory:
MPD said an off-duty officer was in a "minor vehicle accident" on his way to work Thursday morning. Investigators said the other driver, identified as Wilks, hit the officer in the face with a gun before the two exchanged gunfire. Wilks died at the scene.
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Alexander Ayala, president of the Milwaukee Police Association, told FOX6 News the off-duty officer almost died and had visible injuries to his face. No one else was injured.
Family watches video
What they're saying:
Norman said the video comes from one of the vehicles involved.
"Public, please show patience," said Norman. "I believe we put our best foot forward as a department in regards of reporting out these particular types of situations. My press release always follows what the video shows."
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Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr said he is representing Wilks’ family. After watching the video, the family acknowledged the police department's account of what took place and said it was "justified."
"It was unfortunate. It was tragic. The loss of any life we hope is preventable," said LaMarr. "This family stands before you acknowledging the officer's actions. And our hearts and prayers go out to the off-duty officer's family as well."
"That day, a bad decision, and now we have to live with that forever. That's something we have to accept, we're going to accept," said Latrice Bell, Wilks' mother. "We thank the Milwaukee Police Department, everyone who came out, like the community really came out. We really didn't want anyone to riot, we just really wanted to know and keep things settled."
Video release SOP
Dig deeper:
On Friday, MPD showed the video to the family of that man, 26-year-old Elijah Wilks. The police union also watched it. Norman said the department is following the standard operating procedure.
MPD's Standard Operating Procedure 575 applies to any officer-involved death. That includes when an off-duty officer "asserts or could assert that he or she was performing activities that are within the scope of his or her law enforcement duties."
Off-duty Milwaukee police shooting 'justified,' man's family says
The family of Elijah Wilks, the man killed in a shootout with an off-duty Milwaukee police officer, acknowledged he pistol-whipped the officer.
Released materials can include an officer's body-worn camera video, in-car video, 911 calls and other video that police captured or acquired during the investigation. Video can be redacted for a number of reasons, including to protect the privacy of others and "extremely disturbing" images or sounds.
The procedure states next of kin will be invited to watch the video within 48 hours of the incident. Others are invited to watch 48 hours before it's released to the public – that includes the officer(s) involved and others.
Video will be released to the public within 15 days, according to the procedure, but it can be earlier.
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Attorney, family of Elijah Wilks speak to the media (part 1)
Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr and the family of Elijah Wilks spoke at length after some of the family had the opportunity to view the video associated with the fatal shooting of Wilks.
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Attorney, family of Elijah Wilks speak to the media (part 2)
Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr and the family of Elijah Wilks spoke at length after some of the family had the opportunity to view the video associated with the fatal shooting of Wilks.
Editor's note: This story was updated with a correction.
The Source: FOX6 News reviewed MPD Standard Operating Procedure 575 and referenced prior coverage of the shooting, including interviews.