Homeless Black Man Carrying Knives Shot to Death by Police Outside Republican Event

Milwaukee:

A homeless black man armed with two knives near a Republican National Convention site in Wisconsin was shot to death by Ohio police officers on Tuesday.

According to police, the man, identified by family members as Samuel Sharpe, 43, was armed with a knife in each hand. The situation escalated when Sharpe attacked an unarmed individual, prompting officers to open fire. Two knives were recovered at the scene.

“Someone’s life was in danger,” Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said during a press conference. “These police officers, who were not from this area, decided to act and save someone’s life today.”

The incident occurred amid heightened security in Milwaukee, with thousands of officers from multiple jurisdictions present to ensure security at the Republican National Convention, which began on Monday and is expected to end on Thursday.

The shooting, however, sparked outrage among Milwaukee residents, who questioned the need for out-of-state officers to patrol their neighborhood, which is more than a mile away from the convention site. Many local residents gathered at the scene, expressing their anger and planning a night vigil in Sharpe’s honor.

“They came into our community and killed our family right here in a public park,” said Linda Sharpe, Samuel’s cousin. “What are you doing in our city, shooting people?”

Linda Sharpe described her cousin Samuel as a longtime resident of a camp across the street from King Park where the shooting occurred. This camp is a well-known presence in the neighborhood, home to several social service clinics and a shelter. Residents believe that Milwaukee police officers, familiar with the local homeless population, could have been able to calm the situation more effectively.

Norman explained that a group of 13 Columbus officers, part of a bicycle patrol, were in the designated area when they noticed the altercation involving Sharpe. They approached the scene and repeatedly ordered Sharpe to drop his weapons, but he ignored the orders and advanced toward the unarmed individual, causing the officers to fire.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office has scheduled an autopsy for Wednesday and further investigation into the shooting is underway.