MILWAUKEE — A 17-year police veteran was shot and killed as he served a warrant on Milwaukee’s south side Wednesday, becoming the city’s third officer to be killed in the line of duty in eight months, officials said.
Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Michael Brunson said at a news conference that the 35-year-old officer, Matthew Rittner, was part of a Tactical Enforcement Unit.
“This is the third time in eight months that I’ve had to stand at a podium and talk about the loss of a life of a police officer,” Mayor Tom Barrett told reporters. “We need all residents of this community, all residents of this state, to be thankful and appreciative of every single law enforcement official in this state.”
Jordan P. Fricek, a 26-year-old Milwaukee man was in custody, according to a Milwaukee Police Department press release posted on social media.
Brunson didn’t release details of the warrant being served when the officers made contact with two subjects “and shots were fired.” Rittner was struck and was rushed to Froedtert Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“I am filled with sorrow over this needless loss and at the same time I am filled with anger at the individual who took the life of this police officer,” Barrett said. The mayor said the officer “was doing his job” and “working to make our city safe” when he was killed.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement that he joins “all of Wisconsin in mourning the loss of one of our brave law enforcement officers. Those who put on the uniform every day put their safety at risk to protect others and to save lives.” Kaul said the state Department of Justice is assisting in the investigation, and the Law Enforcement Death Response Team is supporting the Milwaukee Police Department.
Numerous officers gathered at the hospital. On Wednesday afternoon, a procession of police vehicles with lights flashing accompanied the officer’s body from the hospital to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy is planned for Thursday.
Rittner and his wife, Caroline, were reportedly married in Sept. 16, 2017 at Miller Park. A Milwaukee Brewers tweet from that day congratulates the couple. On Wednesday, the team sent out condolences on social media to the family.
Six months ago, Officer Michael Michalski was fatally shot while trying to arrest a convicted felon wanted on drug and domestic violence offenses. Last June, 23-year-old Officer Charles Irvine Jr. was killed in a squad car crash during the high-speed pursuit of a suspect. Irvine was the first Milwaukee officer killed in the line of duty since 1996.
Experts say serving warrants are dangerous operations for police, primarily because the officers are entering unknown territory. Last week, narcotics police officers serving a search warrant on a house in Houston came under fire as soon as they entered the home, and five were hurt. The suspects were killed.
Post a comment as
Report
Watch this discussion.
(6) comments
When Roger Stone was arrested (great guy, btw, met him, loves cannabis) the President, Donald J. Trump, was concerned with the way police raided his home via a knock warrant. These home breaches have to stop. It puts everyone at risk. A young boy was killed, last spring, when a bullet, from police, during a raid, when through a wall and killed him. Police said "sorry"....there are horror stories, like this one, there are horror stories about the wrong house being breached. The police, each time, say "sorry"..... Time to stop being Rambo, guys. Time to stop dressing like soldiers. Time to start to hire folks with Masters Degrees, that have critical thinking skills. You signed up for a dangerous job. Why make it worse by doing things that make it worse?
Or maybe people should not be criminals...
Government Officials...Build More Prisons! Build More PRISONS! Allow our judges to do their job and give offenders the time they deserve and stop letting them out because they need room for incoming inmates. Stop sending STATE PRISONERS to COUNTY JAILS because you like the money. WE need to keep our COUNTY and CITIES SAFE and we want offenders locked up where they belong, not put out on the streets because STATE PRISONERS are taking up space in OUR Jails! Build more PRISONS! We want our officers, our family members, our friends to be able to do their job and our Judges too. Officials you are putting OUR POLICE OFFICERS AT RISK. BUILD MORE PRISONS NOW! BRING BACK DEATH PENALTIES FOR ANYONE THAT SHOOTS A POLICE OFFICER.
We have the largest prison system in the world. But make it bigger....Shield changed his name....lol
Maybe don't do no knock raids, with breaching. No one knows what's on the other side of the door. Poor admin of police.
Shield, your up addy will come up the same, even when you switch accts
So, you're a jailer.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.