A Milwaukee Police Department officer was left seriously injured amidst an on-street shoot-out on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, after being dispatched to a call involving a man firing a semi-automatic rifle in public. The incident, unfolding on the 700 block of North 27th Street around 11:50 a.m., saw the 34-year-old officer with more than eight years on the force caught in the crossfire after attempts to bring the situation under control escalated into an exchange of gunfire, according to an official press release from the Milwaukee Police Department.

Upon the officers' arrival, they encountered the armed suspect and sought to peacefully resolve the scenario by ordering him to drop his weapon. Instead, the suspect chose to actively engage, firing shots at the officers. One officer, in his responsibility to protect and to serve the community, returned fire upon the suspect, ultimately striking him fatally. During the encounter, however, the unidentified male suspect managed to shoot the aforementioned injured Milwaukee Police Department officer.

The suspect's semi-automatic rifle was recovered at the scene, and the officer who fired at the suspect, a 37-year-old male also with an excess of eight years of service, is set to be placed on administrative duty per routine procedures following officer-involved shootings. As the officer recuperates from the serious injuries sustained, the Milwaukee Police Department has expressed wishes for a "speedy recovery" with their thoughts and prayers directed towards their colleague.

The aftermath of the shooting is now in the hands of the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, with Oak Creek Police Department taking the lead in the investigation. In line with Standard Operating Procedure 575, video footage related to the critical incident is expected to be released to ensure transparency once the investigation allows for it to be properly distributed, as per the Milwaukee Police Department.