Suspect sought by fed agents fatally shoots himself near 32nd and Lincoln

A fatal shooting on Milwaukee's south side Monday afternoon, Sept. 14 happened in the middle of a Drug Enforcement Agency bust. Before agents could arrest a 23-year-old man, police said he died by suicide. 

Milwaukee police have taken over the investigation but had nothing to do with the man's death around 2:45 p.m. near 32nd Street and Lincoln Avenue. Investigators said federal agents were trying to take the man into custody when he fatally shot himself.

"All we heard is just someone screaming," said Samer Suleiman, Bargaintown Motors.

Suspect sought by fed agents fatally shoots himself near 32nd and Lincoln

Managers at Bargaintown Motors found themselves in the middle of a shooting investigation unrelated to their business -- their surveillance video handed over as evidence.

Suleiman said his cameras captured the man dying by suicide. MPD stressed this was an isolated incident.

"No agents were injured and did not fire any of their firearms," said Captain David Salazar with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Crime scene tape stretched corner-to-corner, stopping traffic, as police went to other nearby businesses, speaking to witnesses and gathering evidence. Regardless of the circumstances, Suleiman said the death hit home.

Suspect sought by fed agents fatally shoots himself near 32nd and Lincoln

"I'm the same age as him," he said. "It would be sad to say, his family, they're pretty hurt about that."

It's unclear why the DEA was after the man. His name has not been released. MPD's Homicide Division is leading the investigation.