Milwaukee residents demonstration turns violent after police shoot armed man

Angry crowds confronted the police in Milwaukee on Saturday night, setting fires and throwing rocks, after an officer shot and killed a fleeing armed man earlier in the day.

One police officer was hospitalized with a head injury after a brick was thrown through the window of his patrol car. The police made three arrests on unspecified charges during the mayhem, during which crowds of at least 200 people flooded the streets.

The 23-year-old is said to have died after trying to run away from officers following a traffic stop.

“A Milwaukee police officer with six years of experience started chasing the individual, who was running to the east. He ordered that individual to drop his gun. The individual did not drop his gun, held the gun, or I should say I don’t know that for a fact, but had the gun with him, and the officer fired several times,” said Tom Barrett, Mayor of Milwaukee.

It’s unclear whether the suspect fired any shots – and his race and name have not been released.

Saturday’s incident comes after a violent night in Milwaukee – five men were killed in nine shootings across the city.