Fallen Milwaukee Officer Leaves Behind Wife And Child

MILWAUKEE, WI -- For the third time in less than a year, the Milwaukee Police Department is mourning the loss of one of their officers who fell in the line of duty.

On Wednesday, Milwaukee Police revealed that 35-year-old Matthew Rittner died as he was serving a search warrant on Milwaukee's south side. Rittner was a Greenfield High School graduate and leaves behind a wife and child.

"To my officers, I am asking that you reach out to one another and that you not only support one another, but that you pray for one another," Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said in a statement. "I am also asking that you pray for Officer Rittner's family. Officer Rittner is the third officer we have lost in the line of duty during a short eight-month period after going approximately 22 years without a line-of duty death. Yet again, we are mourning the loss of another dedicated member."

On the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 5, officers in the Milwaukee Police Department's Tactical Enforcement Unit were called to a house on the 2900 block of S. 12th Street to conduct a search warrant on suspicion that the residents inside were selling illegal firearms and drugs, police said.

According to reports, when officers approached the house just after 9 a.m., they announced their presence at the front door. At that time, police said Rittner was struck by gunfire after at least one person inside fired several gunshots at officers stationed outside.

Police said Rittner was transported to Froedtert Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He later succumbed to his wounds and died at the hospital.

Police said Rittner was 35 years old, and began his career in law enforcement in 2001 as a police aide. Rittner was a 17-year veteran of the Milwaukee police department and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Police said 26-year-old Jordan P. Fricke was arrested by Milwaukee Police without further incident. "The members on-scene utilized tremendous restraint during the suspect's apprehension, which is a true testament to the character and professionalism of the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department," Morales said in a statement late Wednesday.

Third Milwaukee Officer Dies In Less Than One Year

On the morning of July 25, 2018 police officer Michael Michalski was pursuing a wanted suspect when the suspect shot and killed the officer in the line of duty.

According to two City of Milwaukee police detectives at the time, they saw suspect Jonathan Copeland go into a house on the 2400 block of N. 28th Street on the evening of July 25. Multiple officers planned to go to the house in question to arrest him.

Police say they arrived outside the house, a ramshackle side-by-side two-story duplex built in the early 1900's on Milwaukee's near north side. Police split up to search the house. Some searched the main and lower floors. Officer Michalski made the decision to ascend the century-old and dimly-lit wooden stairs to the second floor.

The stairs Michalski began to climb turned as they ascended so that the top of the stairs could not be seen from the bottom. As he inched his way forward, he rounded the bend in the stairs. A pile of laundry came into Michalski's view at the top of the stairs, according to police accounts.
Department-issue body camera footage recorded Michalski's final few moments alive. According to reports, Michalski saw the pile of laundry move slightly.

The camera view suddenly blurs, consistent with Michalski moving rapidly to attempt a retreat. At that instant, gunshots rang out, and the camera view goes black as Michalski falls onto the camera. When fellow officers converged on Michalski's location, they saw him lying motionless on the stairs to the upper floor.

Police say Michalski immediately fell after the first gunshot and never moved again. The bullet entered the back of his head, traveled downward and exited his neck.

In June 2018, Milwaukee Police officer Charles Irvine, Jr. and his partner were involved in a pursuit of a reckless driver near the intersection of North 76th Street and West Silver Spring Drive.
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.

Milwaukee Police Department Photo