The Milwaukee Police Department has released dashcam footage showing the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Elijah Wilks by an off-duty officer. The incident occurred last Thursday on 49th Street and Mill Road in Milwaukee. The video was made public four days later, following requests from Wilks’ family and community members for its release, according to WISN.
Milwaukee police released the footage earlier than their usual 15-day policy to promote transparency. After viewing the video, Wilks’ mother said she believed the officer’s actions were justified and necessary to understand how the situation unfolded, as reported by FOX6Now. The incident began with a minor vehicle accident in a construction zone involving an off-duty Milwaukee police officer. Video footage shows Elijah Wilks striking the officer in the face with a firearm, prompting an exchange of gunfire that resulted in Wilks’ death, as mentioned by TMJ4.
Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr, who represents the family of Elijah Wilks, said the family agreed to release the video to support transparency. “What this family has done is made the difficult decision, while they're grieving, to put aside their privacy, put aside their grieving to allow again the opportunity for accountability to actually exist where the public can see what they saw. And just try to move past the situation and heal this city," he said, as per WISN. A memorial with balloons and photos marks the location where Wilks died. Police are continuing to investigate, and no Milwaukee police service weapons are linked to any 10 mm bullets, including one found by a neighbor in their living room wall.
