MPD releases video showing deadly officer-involved shooting near 27th and Wisconsin

Milwaukee Police Dept.

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) on Thursday released new a series of videos showing what led up to an officer-involved shooting that left one officer wounded and a 24-year-old man dead. 

Five videos released by MPD show the incident unfold near the intersection of N. 27th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave. on Feb. 12. The videos include a pair of building surveillance videos, two officers' body-worn cameras and their dashboard camera recording. 

Surveillance videos show the suspect, identified as Isaiah Stott, fire shots from a semi-automatic rifle into the air. MPD said officers were responding to calls about a man with firing near 27th and Wisconsin shortly before noon that day.

Body camera videos show the officers pulling up to the intersection and see Stott run across a field. Brian Dorow, a former police trainer, said after reviewing the video Thursday the officers were already heading into the most stressful type of scenario: an active shooter.

"That takes it to the highest level because the [suspect's] intent has been established already," Dorow said.

Surveillance video shows Stott point the gun at Milwaukee Police Officer Daniel Gonzales, who was armed with a shotgun. Milwaukee Police Association President Alexander Ayala confirmed Gonzales was equipped with a shotgun.

"That's live ammo. That's not less than lethal," Ayala said. "That was live rounds, double-00 buck, out of that shotgun."

Both Dorow and Ayala said the officers were outgunned. In that setting, with Gonzales and Stott about 50 yards apart, the semi-automatic rifle was firing with greater precision and velocity.

"Hands down, the rifle being the most powerful and certainly putting those two police officers at a disadvantage," Dorow said.

Gonzales, who has eight years of service with the department, was shot in the chest and leg. He underwent several surgeries before being released from the hospital last week. The other officer was placed on administrative duty. 

Ayala said Gonzales is now able to walk entirely on his own. He added he watched the videos with Gonzales on Monday. 

"I could see in his face that he saw it for the first time, and it was emotional," Ayala said. "It's emotional for everyone, even for me watching it. I'm just- my thoughts were, 'These guys are heroes.'"

Surveillance video showed shotgun blasts from Gonzales' location would have been in the direction of 27th Street, where there was traffic.

Dorow said he believed any return fire would not have endangered the public, adding it was an extremely stressful situation as Gonzales was quickly under fire as he ran across a field.

"There are cardinal rules that you have to follow when you're firing," Dorow said. "You have to know your target beyond -- in front and beyond the target, so certainly, that officer's making a calculated decision."

Dorow said the video showed Gonzales performing a standard police technique: flanking the shooter.

"What we do is we train to move so that if this officer's taking fire, this officer here may have a better picture," he said. "And be able to deliver deadly force to stop the threat."

MPD has said that's what happened in the Feb. 12 incident. While Gonzales was wounded, his partner, who's only been identified as a 37-year-old man with more than eight years of experience, was able to fire the shots that killed Stott and ended the threat.

Stott's father, Walker, declined to be interviewed Thursday, but he said over the phone Isaiah's funeral is scheduled for Saturday. He said Isaiah was a veteran who'd been dealing with mental health problems.

Under a 2023 MPD policy change implemented by the since-weakened Fire and Police Commission, MPD must release video of critical officer-involved incidents within 15 days. Families of a person killed or critically injured by an officer must have the opportunity to see the video within 48 hours.

Walker Stott said MPD did offer him the chance to the video, but he declined, saying he wasn't yet ready to watch. The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing; Oak Creek police are the lead agency. 

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