Violent confrontations between riot cops and angry protesters continued in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a second night on Sunday following the police shooting of 23-year-old Sylville K. Smith the day before.
The Milwaukee Police Department said four officers were injured, three squad cars were damaged, and 14 people were arrested on Sunday.One of the officers was hospitalized after a demonstrator hurled a rock through the windshield of a squad car.
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Police said ShotSpotter monitoring devices located throughout the city recorded 30 incidents of gunfire, though it was not clear whether the shots were connected to the riots.
Footage from the scene showed protesters hurling bricks, rocks, and other debris and clusters of cops of riot gear.
Sunday night was relatively calm compared to the preceding evening, when the city erupted in chaos following the police shooting of Smith. On Saturday, protesters torched businesses, smashed cars and lit them on fire, and looted stores.
Seeking to mollify public anger at a news conference on Sunday, Mayor Tom Barrett told reporters that body camera footage from the encounter clearly shows Smith pointing a gun at the officer who shot him. That footage has not yet been released.
Related: Wisconsin governor activates national guard after police shooting sparks violent protests
At the same news conference, Police Chief Edward Flynn attempted to address racial concerns by noting that the officer involved in the incident is black, like Smith. The officer’s name has not yet been made public.
Flynn said the fatal encounter started with a traffic stop for suspicious behavior. During the stop, Smith fled on foot from a car and the officer pursued him into an alley between two houses. The police chief described how audio from the body cam is delayed, making it difficult to tell exactly when the officer fired his weapon. Smith’s autopsy results should create a clearer picture of where Smith was shot and how many times, he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard to help Milwaukee Police Department in the event of further violence, but the troops were not summoned last night.
Follow Tess Owen on Twitter: @misstessowen
