2016 Milwaukee riots

On August 13, 2016, a riot began in the Sherman Park neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sparked by the fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Sylville Smith. During the three-day turmoil, several people, including police officers, were injured and dozens of protesters arrested. A nightly curfew was set up for teenagers in the area.

2016 Milwaukee riots
DateAugust 13–15, 2016
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

North Sherman and West Auer
43.077°N 87.9675°W / 43.077; -87.9675
Caused byFatal shooting of Sylville Smith by police
MethodsProtests, rioting, looting, arson, shooting, assaults
Parties

City of Milwaukee

  • Milwaukee Police Department
  • Milwaukee Fire Department

Local demonstrators

Revolutionary Communist Party
Number
Initially 20–30
200+
Casualties, arrests, prosecution
Death(s)1
Injuries10+
Arrested41
Charged5 demonstrators, 1 police officer
OutcomeMilwaukee Police Department Victory

Smith was running on foot and armed with a stolen handgun when he was shot. Smith and the officer who fired the fatal shots, Dominique Heaggan-Brown, were both African-American. Video from the officer's bodycam showed that Smith had turned with the gun in his hand toward the officer just before the officer shot him.

Heaggan-Brown was criminally charged with Smith's death and acquitted at trial. This was the first homicide charge against a Milwaukee police officer in over a decade. A civil lawsuit is currently pending.

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