'Tragedy all the way around:' Milwaukee Common Council members address shooting that killed MPD officer

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It was a somber tone at Milwaukee City Hall Tuesday morning, Feb. 7, as leaders offered words of support and prayer ahead of the scheduled Common Council meeting following the fatal shooting of a Milwaukee Police Department officer.

"I would ask that we join our thought and prayers for the officer of the Milwaukee Police Department that was lost this morning, for his fellow officers, family and friends," said Common Council President and District 12 Alderman José Pérez. "I would like to remember all those who risk so much to serve our community and our city and I would ask that we pray for peace."

A moment of silence for the fallen MPD officer ahead of this morning’s Milwaukee Common Council Meeting. @CBS58pic.twitter.com/Z48MfkcDgZ

— Emerson Lehmann (@ELehmannTV) February 7, 2023

Several city leaders offered support for the fallen officer and the Milwaukee Police Department as a whole, including District 8 Alderwomen JoCasta Zamarripa.

"Heartbroken. We should not be having to mourn this young officer's life today. He should have been able to go home from his shift," Ald. Zamarripa said. "Just sending them (MPD) our best during these very difficult times."

District 3 Aldermen Jonathan Brostoff called the fatal incident Tuesday morning "horrible" and called on state lawmakers to help city leaders address what he calls an "out of control" gun situation in Milwaukee.

"There's way too many guns, and too many guns cause too much escalation and too many opportunities for death," Ald. Brostoff said. "We've got to find a way to work around it. We've got to get partners at the state who will allow us to do what we need to do to get this gun problem under control."

District 4 Alderman Robert Bauman called the shooting 'A tragedy all the way around' and offered his support to MPD.

"These officers get up every day, put their lives on the line for citizens in this community," Ald. Bauman said. "It's a tragedy from top to bottom, but again, guns are involved."

Ald. Bauman says the council will do its part to provide whatever support is necessary but believes MPD has a good grasp on the situation and will do its part to support the family of the fallen officer.

As for violence in the city, Ald. Bauman called on members of the community to step up and speak up.

"There does seem to be a level of toleration of this sort of criminal behavior and so every household, every family, every neighborhood has to say 'Enough. We're not going to harbor these perpetrators. We're going to assist the police in whatever way we can, keeping ourselves save in the process to make sure these people are off the street and not in a position to continue perpetrating this violence on their neighbors and on their own communities,'" Ald. Bauman exclaimed. "It's that simple; by not tolerating it and by assisting law enforcement in finding suspects, in finding perpetrators of a lot of this senseless violence and not just against police, against regular citizens."