UPDATE 10/17/24 at 10:00am – Milwaukee Police have confirmed to WTMJ that the early morning police presence was connected to an exchange of gunfire near the former Milwaukee Mall building.
In a statement, police say officers were patrolling the area when they heard shots fired on the 2100 block of West North Avenue. Simultaneously, several ShotSpotter alerts were registered at the same location.
Upon arrival, a suspect fired several shots towards the officer’s squad. An officer returned fire. No officers were injured.
A tactical setup was established and the building was swept. During the search, officers located a 37-year-old man. He was arrested. At this time, it does not appear that the officer’s gunfire injured anyone.
Criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
An earlier, unedited version of this story is included below.
MILWAUKEE – A large police presence has gathered at the site of the former Milwaukee Mall near Fond du Lac and North Avenues on the city’s north side, for what is believed to be a police standoff.
A roughly seven-block stretch of North Avenue between 20th and 27th Streets is blocked off with police tape. Our partners at TMJ4 News reported seeing flashlights inside the building as police appeared to be searching for suspects.
Milwaukee Police have not commented on the reason for the presence outside the building.
This is a developing story; more information will be added as it becomes available.
