‘Gut-wrenching for me’: Suspect’s roommate reacts after police shootout

By Erica Finke

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Shattered glass, boarded-up windows and drywall riddled with bullet holes: that’s the destructive aftermath of a shootout between police and a wanted man Thursday morning.

A man who didn’t want to be identified shared the pictures with 12 News showing at least 80 bullet holes through the apartment near 91st Street and Appleton Avenue.

He didn’t know his 35-year-old roommate was wanted for being a felon in possession of a firearm, domestic violence-related false imprisonment and sexual assault.

“Gut-wrenching for me. It’s very depressing to hear it and to hear that it is from a friend that you thought you was close to to hear that happened. It’s very devastating for me,” the suspect’s roommate said.

Gunfire erupted before 11:40 a.m. when officers made contact with the wanted suspect. Milwaukee Police Department said the suspect fired shots first, and four officers returned fire.

Michael Perez and his coworkers were watching the shootout from across the street. He recorded video on his cell phone of the gunshots and officers ducking behind a vehicle in the parking lot.

“I guess the suspect had an automatic or something, and it was like six or seven gunshots in a row. That’s when we really ducked, and I was trying to record at the same time at this point just kind of evidence or if something happened, but it was just, everything was just fast,” Perez said.

When the gunfire stopped, Milwaukee police said the suspect surrendered two firearms with extended magazines before being taken into custody. The suspect was taken to a hospital for injuries.

Three male officers received non-life-threatening injuries during the shootout: a 43-year-old with more than 19 years of service, a 44-year-old with more than 21 years of service and a 49-year-old with more than 19 years of service.

The suspect’s roommate is thankful he wasn’t home during the incident and that no one else was injured.

“I’m just happy everybody that is safe is safe,” the suspect’s roommate said. “I just hope you learn from this mistake you just did, because now this is something you can’t take back.”

Charges are pending against the suspect. The four police officers who discharged their weapons during the shootout are being placed on administrative duty, which is standard procedure.

MPD said it will release police video of the shootout within 15 days.

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