Milwaukee police officer Kendall Corder dies; MPD memorial growing

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police officer Kendall Corder died from gunshot injuries on Sunday, June 29, after being shot in the line of duty just days before.

Memorial for the fallen

What we know:

A memorial continues to grow outside Milwaukee Police Department - District 2, around the squad car that Corder and fellow officer Christopher McCray were assigned the night investigators say they were ambushed.

Many dropped off flowers, balloons and letters to honor Corder and the entire police department on Monday, June 30.

"He was a good person"

Local perspective:

Corder’s friend, Amanda Ilecki, remembers Corder’s life and the conversations they had before his line of duty death.

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"He wanted to dive into this work at such a young age. I asked him why, he was like, ‘I feel like it's my calling,’" Ilecki said. "He was a good person, all around [...] Every time I ran into him, he said, ‘I still like what I'm doing.’"

Corder was called to serve. His passion was brighter than the flowers and balloons left at the memorial outside the police district, where the fallen officer worked.

Zach Anderson placed a flag on the squad on Monday morning.

"I was devastated with the news, hoping he was going to pull through," Anderson said. "Unfortunately, he passed away."

"Ambush" shooting

The backstory:

The two police officers were shot and wounded near 25th and Garfield on Thursday, June 26. MPD said the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tremaine Jones, was taken into custody early Friday morning.

Police say the gunman "ambushed" the officers, with gunfire hitting both.

McCray was released from the hospital on Saturday, but Corder did not survive. 

Jones was also moved into the Milwaukee County Jail on Saturday. At this point, he has not been criminally charged.

A deeper impact

Dig deeper:

"I just hope the community can support his family at this time and support MPD at this time. They go in day in and day out and protect the community," Anderson said. "This could happen to anyone. It’s so sad."

9-year-old Ayden Segundo was one of the many that visited the growing memorial. He wrote Corder a letter and placed it on the memorial in a touching tribute. 

"I like the Milwaukee Police Department and I like the first responders," Segundo said. "Thank you for protecting my city and making it a safer place for me to grow up in."

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Gov. Tony Evers ordered on Monday that the flags of the United States and the State of Wisconsin be flown at half-staff immediately in honor of Corder.

How you can help

What you can do:

If you are looking for a way to help the families of the officers, you can donate to MPA Fallen Heroes, Inc. According to the website, every dollar offers immediate emergency aid for injured officers and supports long-term recovery for officers and their families.

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