Milwaukee — Ohio police officers in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention shot and killed a Milwaukee man on Tuesday, fueling anger among residents who questioned why out-of-state police officers were in their neighborhood, located about a mile from the convention site.
The man was shot by officers from the Columbus, Ohio police department, according to a statement released by that city’s police division. Thousands of officers from multiple jurisdictions are in Milwaukee providing additional security for the convention that began Monday and ends Thursday.
The Columbus Police Department, as well as the Milwaukee mayor’s chief of staff and a spokeswoman for the convention’s joint command center, said there was nothing to suggest the shooting was related to the convention itself.
Milwaukee residents and activists quickly converged on the scene of the shooting, many of them expressing outrage over the involvement of a police department in the city because of the convention. Dozens of officers stood behind police tape at the scene, refusing to answer questions about what had happened.
“They came into our community and killed our family right here in a public park,” said Linda Sharpe, cousin of the man who was killed. “What are you doing in our city, shooting people?”
Sharpe said her cousin, who she identified as Samuel Sharpe, lived in a camp across the street from King Park where the shooting occurred.
Residents said the man was well known among local residents and others living in and near the camp.
Kenneth Johnson, a volunteer with Friends Without Shelter, said he often delivered food to the man and others living in the tents — and questioned what an out-of-state officer was doing there.
“They shouldn’t have jurisdiction to be in this area. This is not close to where the zones are,” Johnson said. “These are tent communities here, they shouldn’t be here.”
In a statement, the Columbus Police Department said the shooting occurred “within the operational zone to which our officers were assigned.”
The Columbus Police Department has received attention for its special unit deployed to Milwaukee, which works to improve police-community relations and has played a visible role in guiding the largely uneventful protests on Monday.
The shooting happened near King Park, about a mile from the convention center, where a small group of protesters gathered before marching on Monday. That rally was followed by dozens of Columbus police officers, wearing blue vests that said, “Columbus Police Dialogue.”
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said an adult male was shot and killed. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday.
The Milwaukee Police Department did not respond to an email requesting more details about Tuesday’s shooting.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
