Friday, April 25, 2025
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Friday, April 25, 2025

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Wauwatosa Police Chief Says Suspect Is Identified in Mensah Shooting Incident

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Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber appeared on the Mark Belling show and revealed that police know the identity of the person who fired the shot during the Officer Joseph Mensah incident. He didn’t release it yet, though.

Update: The suspects are now named and charged. Learn more about them and read the criminal complaints here.

On August 9, Mensah wrote on Facebook that protesters came to his girlfriend’s house while he was there the night before and “tried to kill me.” He further wrote:

I was unarmed and tried to defend my property and the property of my girlfriend. We were both assaulted, punched, and ultimately shot at several times. A shotgun round missed me by inches. Not once did I ever swing back or reciprocate any the hate that was being directed at me. I am all for peaceful protests, even against me, but this was anything but peaceful. They threw toilet paper in her trees, broke her windows, and again, shot at both of us as they were trying to kill me. There are children that live there any the knew that. The irony in all of this is that they chanted Black Lives Matter the entire time, but had zero regard for any of the black children that live there or me, a black man.

Chief barry weber
Chief barry weber. Credit: sen. Rob hutton facebook page

Weber said that there was “certainly an attempt to harm him (Mensah)” and adamantly disputed the accusation that Mensah, the Wauwatosa police officer involved in three fatal shootings since 2015, fired the protester’s gun himself.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm ruled the first two on-duty shootings justified self defense by Mensah. The third, of Alvin Cole, 17, outside Mayfair Mall, is still under investigation. The case ignited a flurry of protests since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked protests and riots throughout the country.

The chief’s statements came after state Rep. David Bowen released a statement in which he accused Mensah of lying. Among other claims, Bowen said, “No one tried to kill him or his girlfriend. That’s a lie. No one tried to enter his home. That’s a lie. There weren’t several shots fired. Another lie. No protestor shot at the back door. That’s the biggest lie. Joseph Mensah chose to engage with a protestor, and pulled the trigger on that individual’s firearm.”

https://www.facebook.com/StateRepDavidBowen/photos/a.1465619203697883/2510544885871971/?type=3&theater

Responding to Bowen’s statement that called Mensah a liar, Weber said, “If he was at the scene, I would certainly invite him to come and give us a statement so we can make sure we do a complete investigation.”

Weber said Bowen’s statement was “inaccurate, irresponsible and false.” He said it was a lie to say no one tried to kill Mensah and his girlfriend and that it was a lie to say no one tried to enter his home, and that it was a lie to say it was a peaceful protest. Weber said there was “nothing peaceful…that’s a joke.”

Listen to the full Belling podcast here.

A series of cell phone and neighbors’ surveillance camera videos have emerged that shed light on what happened at the home where Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah was staying.

Watch:

https://www.facebook.com/wisn12/videos/755589965206549/?v=755589965206549

And:


Chief Barry Weber Told Belling That What Happened to Mensah Was a ‘Targeted, Planned Attack of Violence’

The chief released a statement that called what happened to Officer Mensah a “targeted, planned act of violence against one of our police officers.” He said police were looking through a large amount of high-quality video footage to identify suspects and vehicles involved. Authorities have a lot of video people haven’t seen and believe they will prove what they said in their initial statement once the investigation concludes.

When Belling asked whether protesters tried to kill or harm Mensah, Chief Barry Weber said: “Yes, there was certainly an attempt to harm him and whether or not they were shooting directly at him or in close proximity, anything could have happened with that crowd. The idea that Officer Mensah fired the gun is just ludicrous.”

He said that police do know who the individual is who fired the shot, answering “yes” to that question.

Weber said police have video from both protesters and neighbors. This clears up one mystery: Weber believes there “was one shot fired that we know of” and the other sounds on neighbor videos sounded like firecrackers to him.

Was the gunshot aimed at Mensah? “We believe that is indeed true.”

He believes that Mensah was out in his yard and then the protesters came on his property and then some altercation occurred after that. Weber noted that Mensah “absolutely” has a right to be on his own yard. He stated that vandalism occurred before the altercation.

Belling asked why police weren’t protecting Mensah/the house before. Weber said they were in the general vicinity. He criticized the Tosa town meeting, saying that the city allowed photos to be a backdrop for hours that said Mensah was a murderer and Weber was his accomplice. He said he was “outraged” the city allowed “those pictures to be the backdrop for five hours.”

He added that city officials have “emboldened what’s happening in our city” and said that “once citizens start swinging back and say they won’t tolerate it anymore, the pendulum will swing back. That’s where we are at right now.” He believes the Wauwatosa community “by and large supports the Wauwatosa PD.” This is disputed by protesters who are calling for Weber’s firing.

“As long as I have the position as chief of police. I’ll do what is necessary to keep order in our city…” he said.

Asked if he’d welcome support from federal government or another agency, he said, “We will take any support we can get. I’m not sure there are any federal crimes that have been violated.” However, he said Tosa police have been in contact with the US Attorney.


Mensah’s Girlfriend Has Shared Photos of Her Injuries

Mensah’s girlfriend gave her account on Facebook, writing,

Joseph and I were shot at today. Shot by cowards who were inches away from us, but missed. They shot into MY home. One gun was a shotgun. They physically attacked Joseph and I. They broke the windows to MY house. They shot into my house causing damage to the brick. You proved nothing today. Now, I have to come up with the funds to replace your damages that proved nothing.

You completely forgot what this movement is about. There is a high volume of children on that block that you could have harmed.

I WILL still be returning to work to protect the community that I love though.

Mensah’s girlfriend, Patti Swayka, wrote in a public post, “We BOTH remember why we placed our right hand to the trust of God. ‘Trust that God will lead you out of the fire, but you must allow him to guide you.’ I still believe I have the most rewarding job and I can make a difference.”

Disclosure: Jessica McBride, a contributor at Wisconsin Right Now, is the niece of Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride. Jim Piwowarczyk, the owner of Wisconsin Right Now, is the author of this story.

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Trump Expands Gulf of America Oil & Natural Gas Production

Reversing Biden administration policies that halted offshore leasing, prompting lawsuits and restricting oil and natural gas development, the Trump administration is expanding offshore capabilities.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold the administration’s first offshore lease sales in the Gulf of America, with the first proposed notice of sale slated for June.

“By continuing to expand offshore capabilities, the United States ensures affordable energy for consumers, strengthens domestic industry and reinforces its role as an energy superpower,” the Interior Department says. “Opening the Outer Continental Shelf is central to this strategy as it unleashes domestic energy potential that had been blocked under the previous administration,” and is expected to generate tens of thousands of high-paying jobs throughout the industry.

The BOEM also released a new analysis stating that a significant increase of estimated oil and natural gas reserves exists in the Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf. BOEM’s updated assessment evaluated more than 140 oil and natural gas fields, identifying 18 new discoveries, and analyzed more than 37,000 reservoirs across 1,336 fields in the Gulf.

It says there’s an “additional 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent since 2021, bringing the total reserve estimate to 7.04 billion barrels of oil equivalent. This includes 5.77 billion barrels of oil and 7.15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas – a 22.6% increase in remaining recoverable reserves.”

“This new data confirms what we’ve known all along – America is sitting on a treasure trove of energy, and under President Trump’s leadership, we’re unlocking it,” Burgum said. “The Gulf of America is a powerhouse, and by streamlining permitting and expanding access, we’re not just powering our economy – we’re strengthening our national security and putting thousands of Americans back to work.”

The comprehensive review added 4.39 billion barrels of oil equivalent in original reserves, BOEM found. “After subtracting production of 3.09 billion barrels of oil equivalent since 2020–2021, the net increase reflects continued opportunity and momentum in offshore development,” it says.

“The Gulf of America is delivering 14% of the nation’s oil,” BOEM Gulf of America Regional Director Dr. James Kendall said. “These updated estimates reaffirm the Gulf’s vital role in ensuring a reliable, affordable domestic energy supply.”

The BOEM oversees nearly 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf, with roughly 160 million acres located in the Gulf.

“Energy dominance is a pillar of U.S. economic strength and global leadership,” the Interior Department argues. “By expanding offshore capabilities, the United States ensures affordable energy for consumers, creates high-paying jobs, and reduces dependence on foreign adversaries. … Expanded leasing is projected to create tens of thousands of jobs across exploration, production, logistics and supply chains — revitalizing coastal economies and fueling American innovation.”

Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, also announced it is beginning production at Dover, a second subsea tieback connecting new wells to existing infrastructure of its Appomattox production hub in the Gulf of America. Dover’s estimated peak production is 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, it says.

Shell is the leading deep-water operator in the Gulf of America; Dover was discovered under the first Trump administration in 2018.

It’s located in Mississippi Canyon, roughly 170 miles offshore southeast of New Orleans.

Shell estimates that Dover will “contain 44.5 million barrels of oil equivalent recoverable resources, adding stable, secure energy resources.”

Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activities have generated billions of dollars in revenue from lease sales, rental fees and royalties to the federal government and states, helping to fund infrastructure, education and public services and wildlife conservation. They also help strengthen U.S. energy independence, national security and global stability, by reducing reliance on foreign producers, the Trump administration argues.

Offshore production in the Gulf of America accounts for the third greatest volume in the country, of nearly 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, according to Energy Information Agency data from January. The greatest volume is produced in the Permian Basin in west Texas, which leads the U.S. in oil and natural gas production, The Center Square reported.

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