Milwaukee Sergeant on leave after shooting suicidal officer

[Terminator]

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee police officer from District 3 shot and killed himself late Thursday night.A police sergeant tried to prevent the suicide by shooting the other officer in the leg.Police said the sergeant and another officer went to the 29-year-old off-duty officer's home late Thursday after receiving a report that he may be suicidal.
The off-duty officer eventually put a gun to his head, causing the sergeant to shoot him in the leg. But, as the off-duty officer fell to the ground, he took his own life. He was pronounced dead at his home.The sergeant, 35, is on administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure.The shooting is being reviewed by the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.

[Cross240]

I kind of understand this......... but, i'm thinkin all they will find is two gun shot wounds. One Fatal, one Not.

Bad deal for all involved, thats for sure

[Pedro56]

That is a damn shame.

[deputysykes]

Thoughts and prayers to the family of the deceased and the SGT and his family.

[armsmaster270]

Thoughts and prayers to the family of the deceased and the SGT and his family.

+1

[mack]

Just sad from start to finish, thoughts and prayers to all involved

[PapaBear]

Once again, LEO suicides appear to be a little too high.

I am not certain where the line is crossed to intervene in an effort to prevent the act. The sergeant certainly did not accomplish his goal of intervention. In fact, he, in all probability, exacerbated the officer's act.

Thoughts and prayers go out to both sides.

I have studied these types of issues deeply over the years and have found it to be a topic that most agencies prefer to set way back on the back burners; because, to admit there is a problem is to admit culpibility.

The problem will not go away.

Agencies need to train supervisors and management personnel how to recognize certain triggers that seem to direct a despondant office towards the act of self destruction. In the end, the worth of saving our own is far greater than ignoring the issues.

[adroitcuffs]

Once again, LEO suicides appear to be a little too high.

I am not certain where the line is crossed to intervene in an effort to prevent the act. The sergeant certainly did not accomplish his goal of intervention. In fact, he, in all probability, exacerbated the officer's act.

Thoughts and prayers go out to both sides.

I have studied these types of issues deeply over the years and have found it to be a topic that most agencies prefer to set way back on the back burners; because, to admit there is a problem is to admit culpibility.

The problem will not go away.

Agencies need to train supervisors and management personnel how to recognize certain triggers that seem to direct a despondant office towards the act of self destruction. In the end, the worth of saving our own is far greater than ignoring the issues.

Without having been on scene myself, I can only imagine that the sergeant saw his own act as a "last resort", thinking that the shot would be a sufficient distraction - suicidal subject drops his gun & grabs his leg. Definitely prayers out to all involved.

In regards to the suicide rate of LEO's, as I recall, our rate generally is around 150% of the general public. Back in the '90's, I did a paper for college on the importance of peer counseling in law enforcement. The numbskull instructor I had (I refuse to call him a professor) pulled me aside the week before he returned our papers and told me he was giving me a lower grade on the paper because he thought my statisics were wrong in relation to the numbers of LEO suicides. When I asked what was wrong with them, he replied, "Those numbers are just too high. They can't be right." I told him that I agreed that they were "too high" inasmuch as my bretheren were taking their own lives around the world on a daily basis. Having had a particularly challenging duty week previous to that, I asked him when was the last time he had to inform a parent thier child was killed in a crash, or tried to resuscitate an infant who drowned in the bathtub when mom left to answer the front door? His response, "Well, you guys know it's gonna be tough when you take the job. I think too many police officers bring too many of their own problems to work with them." (It is this level of public ignorance that can make it more difficult to seek help.)

I challenged the instructor to confirm my statistical sources since I was reporting clearly established FACTS. I left him with one comment to remember... Police officers deal with two kinds of people - the best of people in their own crisis or the dredges of society. We see more in a week than most people will (or should) see in a lifetime. To expect those events to not have an impact on the human psyche is ludicrious. I don't expect you to understand, I only ask that you respect that which we face.


Oh, the next week's class, my paper was returned to me with the lower grade crossed out and an "A" in it's place!

[MacLean]

Without having been on scene myself, I can only imagine that the sergeant saw his own act as a "last resort", thinking that the shot would be a sufficient distraction - suicidal subject drops his gun & grabs his leg.

Exactly - reps.

Not having been there, I can only see a desperate attempt at a save.