Police said a 22-year-old driver struck the officer with a firearm magazine taken from the officer’s vest after a pursuit ended in a crash.
MILWAUKEE, WI — A Milwaukee police officer was seriously injured Wednesday after a fleeing driver allegedly tried to disarm him, took a firearm magazine from the officer’s vest and struck him several times during an arrest attempt, authorities said.
The confrontation followed a vehicle pursuit that began about 1:47 p.m. Oct. 14 near North 58th Street and West Hadley Street. Milwaukee police said officers had attempted to stop a vehicle for reckless driving, but the driver refused to pull over. The pursuit ended about 10 blocks away near North 48th Street and Hadley Street when the vehicle struck a tree.
Police said both people inside the vehicle ran after the crash. A 19-year-old passenger was arrested following a brief foot pursuit. The 22-year-old driver also fled on foot before an officer caught up with him and attempted to make an arrest.
During the struggle, police said the driver tried to disarm the officer but was unsuccessful. Authorities said the man then removed a firearm magazine from a pouch on the officer’s vest and struck the officer several times with it. Other officers arrived and helped take the driver into custody.
The injured officer is 32 years old and has more than four years of service with the Milwaukee Police Department. Police said he suffered serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and was later released to recover at home. Police have not publicly identified the officer.
Investigators said multiple firearms and suspected narcotics were recovered from the vehicle after the crash. Authorities had not announced laboratory results or detailed how those items were connected to either of the two men who were arrested.
Milwaukee police booking information cited by WISN showed the 22-year-old was being referred for possible charges including battery to a police officer and fleeing or eluding police. Formal charges had not been filed at the time of that report, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office will determine which charges, if any, to pursue. The suspect’s name is being withheld here because prosecutors had not yet filed charges in connection with the incident.
The Milwaukee Police Association said the officer was also bitten during the struggle, an allegation reported separately from the Police Department’s initial account. Police publicly described the officer as having suffered substantial injuries but did not provide a detailed medical description.
The police association also raised questions about the 22-year-old’s earlier criminal case. Court records reviewed by WISN showed he had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A judge imposed a five-year prison sentence followed by five years of extended supervision but stayed that sentence and placed him on six years of probation. That earlier case is separate from the allegations stemming from Wednesday’s arrest.
Both men from the vehicle remained subject to the ongoing investigation. Police said the case involving the injured officer and the pursuit would be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. As of the latest reports, the officer was out of the hospital and recovering at home.
Author note: Last updated October 17, 2026.