Police Fatally Shoots Man Outside Trump, RNC Event; Reason Still Unknown
A Wisconsin man was shot and killed by Ohio police officers near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Tuesday -- three days after the shocking attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The shooting occurred about a mile from the Fiserv Forum, which is surrounded by Wisconsin and out-of-state officers amid the ongoing convention where Trump was formally nominated as the GOP presidential candidate for the 2024 election.
Officers with the Columbus, Ohio, police department who were in Milwaukee to provide additional security for the convention fatally shot the man, according to a statement posted by the Columbus Division of Police.
The police division explained that "the incident took place in the outer perimeter of the RNC, within the operational zone to which our officers were assigned."
A statement from the Columbus Division of Police regarding the officer-involved shooting, involving CPD officers, that took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/ZpjpMU9Skx
— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) July 16, 2024
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The Columbus Division of Police and the Secret Service both confirmed that the shooting was not related to the convention, which concludes Thursday.
Both groups also referred questions to the Milwaukee Police Department, which is investigating the incident.
Authorities have not disclosed the exact reason why police fired the shots that killed the man.
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However, an eyewitness named Emmanuel King told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that two men were fighting as officers were patrolling the area.
King claimed that officers were attempting to break up the fight when the shooting took place.
Police have not officially released the identity of the man, who died at the scene, but the Sentinel reported that he was identified by a relative as Samuel Sharpe Jr.
A friend told the outlet that Sharpe was a "beautiful person" and "didn't deserve" to be shot and killed.
According to witnesses who spoke to news outlet, Sharpe was well-known, lived in a tent encampment, and went by the nickname "Jehovah."
Sharpe's cousin Linda Sharpe expressed outrage over the incident.
"They came into our community and shot down our family right here at a public park. What are you doing in our city, shooting people down?" Linda said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
The shooting took place just days after a 20-year-old gunman named Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at Trump's Pennsylvania rally Saturday, killing one person and wounding three, including the former president.
The shooter was killed by the Secret Service at the scene.
The investigation into the assassination attempt is ongoing, and authorities have yet to identify a motive.
Trump has continued his activities following the incident, appearing at the Republican National Convention Monday with a bandage over his wounded right ear.
