Milwaukee police fatally shoots armed suspect holding one person hostage inside Vets Place Center

0:00 - Intro
0:47 - 911 call
1:15 - Intro to body cam
2:01 - Body cam
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Milwaukee police released edited video Friday showing a hostage situation in which an officer shot and killed a 66-year-old male suspect in December of 2022.

The edited video shows three officers, two armed with assault rifles, searching the hallways of the Vets Place Center near 34th and Wells in Milwaukee on Dec. 20. The officers come upon the suspect, armed with a handgun, who was holding one person hostage, police said.

The officers realized this and jumped behind a wall for cover. One officer fired his rifle, another officer yelled "shots fired" and the group ran toward the armed suspect.

The officers seem to put the suspect into custody, and the video ends shortly afterward.

The unidentified suspect died at the scene of the shooting. Police said their investigation is still ongoing.

As TMJ4 News previously reported, officers were called to the group home for a call of an active shooter. According to Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffery Norman then, the man pointed a gun at officers, which is when the officer shot and killed the man.

"There were individuals in proximity to the man who had fired his weapon in a confined space with others around him," Chief Norman said last December. "The officers responded in a quick and effective manner in regard to being there to engage in real-time."

The officer who shot the man, a 38-year-old man who has 19 years of service with MPD, was placed on administrative duty, as is custom.

Norman said another officer, a 40-year-old man with 13 years of service, did not fire a shot at the man.

The Oak Creek Police Department is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

The group residence where the shooting happened is called Vets Place Center. It offers transitional housing and resources for veterans struggling with homelessness, mental health challenges, and addiction. The center works closely with the VA and is run by the statewide non-profit organization, Center for Veterans Issues.

TMJ4 News previously talked with some of the veterans who live at Vets Place Center. They didn't know the 66-year-old man personally. They say there's a community room to watch television, as well as a kitchen and laundry room in the basement, where the shooting happened.