Fund Set Up To Help Family Of Fallen Milwaukee Police Officer

MILWAUKEE, WI — The tragic death of 23-year-old Milwaukee police officer Charles Irvine Jr. has touched multiple corners of the community, and a new detail revealed by Irvine's GoFundMe page this week explains how Irvine's own stepfather came to his rescue in the urgent moments before his death.

According to a GoFundMe page set up to help Irvine's family, his stepfather was a member of the Milwaukee Fire Department crew that responded to the accident scene last week in which Irvine was treated at the scene and rushed to the hospital.

"We stayed at the hospital until Charles's family arrived and stayed with them for a while, before returning to service," Harry Roberts of the Milwaukee Fire Department said. "This fund is for the family to do with as they see fit in the honor of their son. A man who was raised by a family of service to the community. A man who raised the spirits of everyone who he had contact with. A man who will be missed by his loving Family, his Police Department Family, his extended Fire Department Family, his friends and all of the citizens of Milwaukee that he has touched."

How to Help

Contribute to Charles Irvine Jr. family memorial fund

Irvine's Loss Touches Country

Irvine's final watch has been entered in the Officer Down Memorial Page, which is dedicated to remembering all officers who fell in the line of duty.

"Rest in peace Brother Charles you are a true American Hero and will never be forgotten for your service and courage," said Carl Wortham of the Sand Springs Police Department on Oklahoma. Wortham is the son of G. Truman Wortham, whose end of watch came in July 1973.

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Charles Irvine Jr. Memorial Page

"The hearts, thoughts and prayers of everyone here at CCPD go out to the families, both blood and blue, of Officer Irvine. May God wrap you in His arms and grant you strength, comfort and peace," Lt. Michael Caldwell, Chaplain of the Cape Carteret Police Department in Cape Carteret, North Carolina, said.

According to a Journal Sentinel report Friday, Irvine is the first Milwaukee police officer to die in the line of duty since 1996. Morales described him as "a funny and quiet officer" who was great at doing impersonations. Irvine will be remembered "as a dedicated servant with a stellar work ethic who never complained," he said.

Public Service Was His Life

Irvine began his service with the Milwaukee Police Department at 19 years old as a police aide, and by 21, he became a full-fledged officer. On Thursday night, every available officer of the Milwaukee Police Department gathered in a semicircle around the loading dock of the Milwaukee Police Department in somber salute over the city's latest tragedy: Charles Irvine, at 23 years old, was dead.

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Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales and officials hold a press conference Friday to update the fatal crash of officer Charles Irvine Jr.

Irvine and his partner were involved in a pursuit of a reckless driver near the intersection of North 76th Street and West Silver Spring Drive at about 5 p.m. Thursday. During the high-speed chase, police said the squad car wrecked, rolling over and coming to a rest on a grassy embankment near the 76th Street viaduct, according to a statement from Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales.

The suspect's vehicle got away.

“It is with great sadness that I stand before you today as the Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department and announce the death of one of our own, 23-year-old Police Officer Charles Irvine Jr.," Morales said.

As officers were transported to Froedtert Hospital with serious injuries. Despite attempts by rescue crews and a medical team at Froedtert, Irvine died of his injuries.

Dispatchers issued a call later Thursday for all available officers to escort Irvine's body from Froedtert to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office.

Irvine has been with the department for approximately four years. The other officer is in stable condition and is a 36-year-old man with four years of service.

“I am extremely saddened to learn of the loss of our fellow officer. This officer gave his life protecting the lives of Milwaukee’s citizens. Our thoughts and prayers are with the officer and his family as we mourn this horrific loss,” Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said.

This is a breaking news story, we will updated as new information becomes available.

Press Conference Turned Emotional

Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales scolded the assembled media Friday afternoon during a press conference to update the public on the tragic death of officer Charles Irvine Jr. on Thursday evening during a high-speed chase.

Officials gathered outside the Milwaukee Police Department at 11:45 a.m. Friday, offering their condolences to the Irvine family and stating that the investigation into this case was ongoing. Morales stated that three people were taken into custody: a 28-year-old man with a lengthy criminal record, a 45-year-old man, and a 26-year-old woman.

"To my brothers and sisters in blue at the Milwaukee police department: I mourn with you during these troubled times. We will get through this as a family in blue," he said.

Yet as the press conference concluded, Morales fielded exactly two questions from reporters on the scene, and they were exactly the same: did the police sergeant on-duty that evening called off the police pursuit involving Irvine and the suspect's vehicle prior to Irvine's fatal crash.

At that point, Morales issued a stern rebuke, accusing the media of creating a disturbance: "We have an officer who died, and all you're trying to do is create controversy," he implored. "Will you give us some days to grieve, please!"

There is no word whether the sergeant called off the pursuit.

Police Pursuits Increasing in Milwaukee

This outburst by the Milwaukee Police Chief comes about a year after 13 out of 15 members of the Milwaukee Common Council urged officials to consider altering existing police pursuit regulations in the interest of public safety.

According to a Journal Sentinel report, Ald. Michael Murphy, in a letter to the city's Fire and Police Commission, said that "he hoped after reviewing the data, the commission would agree with his conclusion that the current pursuit policy is leading to injuries and deaths of innocent civilians."

According to a second report, the number of police pursuits soared following a 2017 change that allowed officer more latitude in pursuing suspects. The overall number of police vehicle pursuits in 2017 was 369, the highest since 2002, the report stated.

Image Via Milwaukee Police