Kenneth Cubero, the Milwaukee man shot by police during a September traffic stop near 12th Street and Greenfield Avenue, has taken a deal that keeps him out of jail for now. Yesterday, Cubero pleaded guilty to resisting or obstructing an officer and was put on probation, according to court records.
He admitted to a single count of resisting or obstructing an officer and received a 270-day sentence at the Community Reintegration Center, although the judge stayed that time and instead ordered 12 months of probation. The plea wraps up the criminal case tied to a Sept. 17, 2025 traffic stop where officers say Cubero fled, dropped a gun and reached for it before an officer opened fire. Body-camera and surveillance footage of the encounter have helped keep the case in the public eye as it moved through court.
Plea deal and sentence
According to FOX6 Milwaukee, Cubero entered his guilty plea in Milwaukee County court on yesterday to one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer. The judge handed down a 270-day term at the Community Reintegration Center, then stayed that sentence and placed him on probation for 12 months.
The agreement means the obstruction case will not go to trial, and the outcome is reflected in court filings that document the plea and sentence. For Cubero, it is a relatively quick resolution to the charge that followed the police shooting.
What happened at the scene
The Milwaukee Police Department said in a press release that officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1200 block of West Greenfield Avenue at about 11:27 p.m. on Sept. 17, 2025. According to the department, the driver got out of the vehicle and ran, triggering a foot chase.
During that chase, officers say the suspect dropped a firearm, then tried to pick it back up. At that point, an officer fired his weapon and hit the suspect, police said. No one else was struck. The officer who pulled the trigger was placed on administrative duty while the department’s Homicide Unit investigates the shooting.
Investigators said they recovered a semi-automatic handgun at the scene and referred the case to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office for charging decisions.
Video and investigation
After police released body-camera and surveillance footage from the incident, local outlets published portions of the videos. TMJ4 reported that the clips show the moments leading up to the shooting, although the actual gunshot was edited out for sensitivity.
Officials say the internal review and criminal investigation are still in motion while the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office weighs whether any additional charges are warranted. Earlier news coverage relied heavily on the criminal complaint and Wisconsin Circuit Court Access records as the case first wound its way into court last fall.
Legal context
Prosecutors originally charged Cubero with one count of obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor that can carry up to nine months in jail and a 10,000 dollar fine, according to WISN. The plea and sentence are recorded in court documents available through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, as noted by FOX6 Milwaukee. Hoodline first covered the case when Cubero was charged after police-involved shooting last September, detailing the initial stop and charging decision.
The plea deal closes one chapter of the criminal process for Cubero, but the officer-involved shooting is not off the books yet. The Milwaukee Police Department has described the matter as a fluid and ongoing investigation and says additional video will be released in line with department policy. For now, Cubero will remain on probation while the Homicide Unit and prosecutors finish their reviews of what happened on West Greenfield Avenue that night.
