Milwaukee police officers anxiously awaiting news of their wounded colleague’s condition are irate after a post on Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s X page declared that the death of the rifle-toting suspect who shot a Milwaukee police officer was a “tragedy.”
The mayor’s office is blaming an unnamed staff member and says an “appropriate reprimand is forthcoming.”
“My thoughts are with the @MilwaukeePolice officer shot in the line of duty today. The entire incident, including the death of the suspect, is a tragedy,” the post on Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s X page read at 3:19 p.m. on Feb. 12. [Multiple sources say MPD believes the gunman was Isaiah Walker Stott.]
At that time, the wounded officer’s condition was not clear. He is fighting to recover in a hospital from gunshot wounds. After outrage erupted, the post disappeared. We saw it live and took a screenshot:
The mayor’s spokesman, Jeff Fleming, wrote Wisconsin Right Now: “The original social media post was put up by a staff member. When the Mayor saw it, he immediately insisted it be taken down. His sentiments are accurately expressed in the video that was posted.”
We asked for the name of the staff member and whether any action will be taken. Fleming responded, “It will be discussed further tomorrow, and an appropriate reprimand is forthcoming.”
The mayor’s clarification came after multiple officers expressed anger over the post.
“Cavalier Johnson has just proven once again how little he cares and supports Milwaukee police officers,” said one apoplectic Milwaukee police officer. “He’s known that we’ve been out of a contract for 2 years getting underpaid and severely understaffed and he has the audacity to make a comment like that. I never thought about wanting to leave MPD until today.”
“Those comments won’t go well for recruiting,” a second officer said. “On top of that there’s a mass exodus coming because of the contract. All the people with 10 years or less are talking about leaving if we don’t get a good contract and back pay. The city refuses to negotiate in good faith. Then something like this happens. Hard to get the best and brightest.”
A third officer was equally irate. This officer said: “I thought the mayor’s comment was senseless and messed up saying the death of the suspect was a tragedy. Just shows you he doesn’t really care about us officers. The death of the suspect was needed to keep the community safe; it wasn’t a tragedy by any means. He got what was coming to him by his actions.”
We obtained exclusive photos of the suspect:
This officer added, “This shows we have no backing from the city’s leaders; why would anyone want to be MPD knowing this.”
We are not printing the names of the officers above to protect them. We previously reported that officers have not had a pay raise for 2 years and make less than surrounding departments.
In the video attached to his X post, the mayor focused on the officer and MPD without mentioning the suspect.
In a video, Johnson said, “There is a Milwaukee police officer who has injuries after the altercation that happened here today. My thoughts are with that officer. My thoughts are with the officer’s family. My thoughts are with the Milwaukee Police Department.” He said he and the people of Milwaukee were “grateful” for “brave” officers who put themselves in danger to protect the community. He said he wasn’t going to “draw any conclusions yet” because there is an investigation. He said everyone owed a “debt of gratitude” to the officer and MPD.
MPD said in a news release that “Milwaukee Police Department officers were dispatched to the 700 block of North 27th Street for a subject walking down the street firing shots from a large gun. Upon arrival, the officers encountered the armed suspect and gave him orders to drop the gun. The suspect refused and fired shots at the officers. An officer returned gunfire subsequently striking the suspect. A different officer was struck by the suspect’s gunfire during the exchange. The suspect’s semi-auto rifle was recovered.”
A bullet also pierced the window of a nearby state office building.
