Milwaukee police officer shot during standoff, man sentenced

MPD officer shot during standoff, man sentenced

 A Milwaukee man convicted of attempted homicide, among other crimes, tied to the shooting of a police officer and a standoff was sentenced to prison on Thursday.

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man convicted of attempted homicide, among other crimes, tied to the shooting of a police officer and a standoff was sentenced to prison on Thursday.

Harrel Martin

In court:

Milwaukee County Judge John Franke sentenced Harrel Martin to 42 years in prison and another 20 years of extended supervision.

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"I have seen a lot of video evidence of shooting. I can safely say I've never seen anything close to the dramatic evidence that existed in this case from the shooting that you engaged in," Franke said.

Harrel Martin

Prosecutors charged Martin, 27, with seven counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, strangulation and suffocation, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.

A jury convicted Martin on all but the strangulation and suffocation charge last November.

"It was a bad decision, and I'm willing to take accountability for my actions," Martin said Thursday.

Dan Morrell

What they're saying:

MPD Officer Dan Morrell was shot and wounded. Those who know him spoke in court Thursday.

"I saw two big holes in his leg from the bullet that ripped through his thigh," Tiffany Morrell, the officer's wife, said. "The shooting did not just injure my husband's body, it injured our entire family."

"This city should have had 10 flag-draped coffins. We are so lucky me and my teammates were not killed that day," said MPD Officer Scott Strong. "I thought Dan was dead in front of me."

Standoff and shooting | Jan. 2, 2024

The backstory:

It happened near 18th and Fairmount, just west of Green Bay Avenue. MPD Chief Jeffrey Norman said officers were initially called around 9 a.m. for a domestic violence incident.

A criminal complaint said the victim reported Martin was "trying to kill her in front of her kids by choking her" that morning. She said Martin choked her and hit or pushed her several times because she went through his text messages.

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When officers arrived at the home and tried to establish communication with Martin, police said he shot at officers and officers returned fire.

Some officers relocated to the back of the home, Norman said, where there was a second exchange of gunfire – and an officer was shot. That officer was identified as Morrell, who had been with the Milwaukee Police Department for more than 16 years. 

Morrell was treated at a Milwaukee hospital for a broken femur and a nicked artery. He was released from the hospital days after the shooting and continued his recovery at home.

Police scene near Green Bay and Fairmount

Norman said no one was struck by any officers' gunfire. Martin, who police said had a criminal history, refused to surrender at that time, and a tactical response team and crisis negotiators were called in. Martin surrendered hours later without further incident, according to police.

There were four kids in the home at the time. Three of the four kids who were inside during the standoff, per the complaint, were the children of Martin and the victim. The victim also said she was eight months pregnant with Martin's child. 

Once in custody, the complaint said Martin told police he "just snapped" when he opened fire on officers approaching the home. Prosecutors said, as a convicted felon, Martin was not legally allowed to have a gun in the first place.