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Family of Milwaukee Man Shot to Death During Traffic Stop Insists Officer’s Actions Were Justified: ‘Something We Have to Live With’

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. . .The shooting occurred on the evening of October 9, leaving 26-year-old Elijah Wilks dead. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Wilks’ family demanded answers.

Just days later, the Milwaukee Police Department released footage of the incident from the officer’s dashboard camera. In the video, the officer’s car had a minor collision with a car driven by Wilks. As soon as both cars came to a stop so the drivers could assess the damage, Wilks got out and immediately walked toward the driver’s side of the officer’s car. Wilks was seen yelling at the officer.

When the officer got out of his car, he walked in front of it to look at the spot where the collision had occurred. As he walked, Wilks trailed behind him and continued berating him. Then, Wilks suddenly brandished a handgun and hit the officer in the head with it. The officer pulled out his own firearm and shot Wilks multiple times.

According to a report from Fox 6 Milwaukee:

[Wilks family attorney B’Ivory Lamarr] and the family watched the video Friday and came out right away and said they thought the officer was justified in shooting.

“When we saw the video for the first time, completely silent. You know, I was it was unimaginable, you know, what actually took place, and we requested to see it a second time, and it’s just something that we just have to take acceptance and accountability for,” added Lamarr. “I think it was clear that he definitely brought out the firearm first, and that he, you know violently, kind of swung the firearm in the officer’s direction that resulted in that response.”

(Read more from “Family of Milwaukee Man Shot to Death During Traffic Stop Insists Officer’s Actions Were Justified: ‘Something We Have to Live With’” HERE)

Report: Police Arrest 14-Year-Old Boy Wanted for 24 Different Felonies

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A 14-year-old Milwaukee boy with an extensive criminal history is reportedly facing 25 charges, including 24 felonies, after a series of alleged violent crimes that culminated in a fatal hit-and-run accident.

He was fleeing police when he ran a stop sign, striking a man on a motorcycle, a complaint alleged, according to CBS 58. The victim, 31-year-old Marc Jones had reportedly been visiting the city for the annual Harley-Davidson Homecoming. Jones was hospitalized and later declared deceased, the outlet reported.

Authorities said in the complaint that the boy committed a series of crimes, including 13 armed robberies and four car thefts, according to the outlet. He also allegedly participated in a shooting, the outlet reported.

The boy started a crime spree in June before he turned 14, the complaint read, according to the outlet. He and another teen allegedly stole a vehicle from two women while reportedly threatening to shoot them. Another minor alleged that the suspect had robbed him at gunpoint the following week, the outlet reported.

Another series of crimes began in July, the complaint said, according to the outlet. He allegedly confessed to having shot a girl in the jaw near McGovern Park on July 19, the outlet reported. The suspect and another minor held up a man a a gas station three days late and stole from him, authorities wrote, according to the outlet. (Read more from “Report: Police Arrest 14-Year-Old Boy Wanted for 24 Different Felonies” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Constitutional Sheriff of the Year Awarded for Encouraging Citizens to Arm Themselves

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Photo Credit: WND

The cop who told the citizens of Milwaukee to arm themselves against violent criminals has now been crowned the “Constitutional Sheriff of the Year.”

Wisconsin’s Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. received the award Friday at the annual convention of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, or CSPOA, in St. Charles, Mo.

Clarke became national news in January when he released a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office public service announcement inviting citizens to join him in the fight against crime by learning to defend themselves from it.

“Simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option,” the PSA states. “You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed or you can fight back. But are you prepared? Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself and your family. We’re partners now. Can I count on you?”

Members of the CSPOA were so impressed with Clarke’s PSA, and his defense under blistering scrutiny since releasing it, not even a tornado could stop them from giving him the award.

Read more from this story HERE.

Milwaukee County Sheriff: Don’t Wait For Police; Arm Yourselves

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Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has a message for residents in his jurisdiction: You can’t rely on him anymore. You need to arm yourself.

On Friday, the nominally Democratic sheriff issued a recorded public safety announcement on the radio and on the Web that encouraged residents to take their lives into their own hands.

Here’s the full transcript: “I’m Sheriff David Clarke and I want to talk to you about something personal: your safety. It’s no longer a spectator sport; I need you in the game. But are you ready? With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option. You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. But are you prepared? Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself and your family.”

Crime is relatively rare in Clarke’s jurisdiction: In 2010, the Sheriff’s Department reported two burglaries, nine robberies and zero murders. (Preliminary data from 2012 were not available, and it’s not clear if the department submitted its crime statistics to the FBI for 2011.)

Also rare are justifiable homicides in the U.S.: About 260 private citizens lawfully killed someone committing a felony in 2011, or less than one case per every 1 million people in the nation.

Read more from this story HERE.