Out-of-state police officers fatally shot a man a few blocks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
The man was shot by Columbus, Ohio police officers in town for the convention. Thousands of police are in the area to provide additional security for the week, The Associated Press reported.
Neighbors were angry and questioned why out-of-state officers were in the area, which the AP said was about a mile from the convention.
The Columbus Police Department said in a post on social media platform X that the incident took place “in the outer perimeter of the RNC, within the operational zone to which our officers were assigned.”
The department said it does not appear that the situation was related to the convention but a team in Milwaukee was investigating.
Milwaukee Police said 13 Columbus officers in uniform were assigned to bicycle patrol within an assigned zone. They observed a person “armed with a knife in each hand engaged in an altercation with another unarmed individual.”
“The officers identified themselves as police officers and made several commands to the suspect to drop the knife,” police said. “The subject refused these commands and charged at the other individual with the knives. At this time, several officers discharged their firearms simultaneously striking the suspect.”
Milwaukee police identified the man as a 43-year-old. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
TMJ4 in Milwaukee reported that according to the Milwaukee Street Angels, an organization that works with the homeless community, the victim was a homeless man.
Others in the community told the AP that the man was well known among locals and others who lived near a tent encampment in the area.
TMJ4 reported that witnesses said he was trying to cross the street when they heard six or seven shots fired, either from one or multiple officers.
The AP noted that the shooting occurred near where protesters were gathered a day prior near King Park. The demonstration was followed by Columbus police officers wearing vests that read “Columbus Police Dialogue.”
Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley said Sunday that they were “very comfortable” with the security situation for the convention following the assassination attempt on former President Trump at a rally over the weekend.
Whatley noted that the committee was working with many different law enforcement agencies to prepare for the influx of people.
