Milwaukee, WI
Activists, sister of Samuel Sharpe critical of police at public meeting; chief speaks on incident
Scenes from the vigil for Samuel Sharpe Jr.
Scenes from the vigil for Samuel Sharpe Jr., the Milwaukee man shot and killed by five Columbus, Ohio, police officers on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.
Activists and the sister of the man killed by out-of-state police during the Republican National Convention criticized the officers and the Milwaukee police’s messaging of security plans at a public meeting on Thursday night.
Angelique Sharpe — whose brother Samuel Sharpe Jr. died on June 16 during the second day of the convention — spoke at a meeting of the city’s Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body for the city’s police and fire departments. She joined with activists to criticize the Milwaukee Police Department and the Columbus, Ohio officers involved in the shooting.
“My brother’s life will not be in vain. People are going to be held accountable,” Sharpe said to the commission during public comments. “This whole situation needs to be properly investigated and looked at holistically and systemic change needs to happen.”
Columbus, Ohio police shot and killed Sam Sharpe as he wielded two knives and moved toward another man, bodycam footage shows. The situation happened rapidly, with about 15 seconds passing between when officers first saw Sharpe and opening fire.
Sharpe’s family has said at memorials and other events he was acting in self-defense. They’ve described him as a strongly devout man who chose to become unsheltered in an attempt to spread his faith.
Activists and his sister have criticized what they described as a lack of de-escalation attempts, the number of shots fired and the lack of local police officers with the group of Ohio officers.
Miriam Horowitz, the chair of the Fire and Police Commission, asked Norman to elaborate on why the Columbus, Ohio officers were at the park and for issues around communication of out-of-town officers’ roles.
A Milwaukee police official told the Journal Sentinel before the convention that out-of-town officers would be placed in non-“forward facing” roles.
“Our intent is to place them in positions where they’re not necessarily forward facing,” Milwaukee Police Inspector David Feldmeier said at the time. “We would like our officers, our MPD officers, to be the ones to have contact with the community.”
Norman said he was limited in what he could say, due to the ongoing investigation into the shooting, but said he didn’t know how the “message got out there” that the non-Milwaukee officers would not engage with the community, but said it was intended they would not be in any “critical areas.”
He conceded the officers should’ve been accompanied by a Milwaukee police officer.
“If we were having officers in certain roles that would have to have a navigation of the lay of the land, we should have had an officer with those officers,” he said. “So, there’s been no lack of accountability or standing forth in regard to owning that.”
Norman said he would be able to talk further on the shooting once the investigation is complete. The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the Greenfield Police Department, is investigating the fatal shooting.
Activists from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression spoke in support of Sharpe during the meeting. The group lobbed harsh criticisms at Norman and noted their early reservations at having out-of-town police involved in the Republican National Convention.
Cavalier Johnson’s RNC Day 3 morning briefing includes fatal shooting
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s RNC Day 3 morning briefing included details on the fatal police shooting of a Milwaukee man.
They were critical of Norman and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s comments after the shooting that the officers had saved a life.
“I’m also here in utter disgust and disappointment with the Milwaukee Police Department,” Lo Cross said. “Saying that you saved a life when that wasn’t even the original purpose of Columbus police being in that area anyways is downright flagrant and disrespectful.”
During the meeting, Sharpe and Norman spoke in city hall for about 10 minutes. Sharpe said the police chief gave his condolences to her again for her brother’s death and she told him of her frustrations of attempting to communicate with the department for updates on the investigation.
Sharpe said she appreciated the chief’s willingness to express his condolences and willingness to say a Milwaukee officer should have been with the Ohio police.
Sharpe said the shooting of her brother has been limited in its telling, with many only focusing on the moment he died and not what led up to it in the days prior. During her public comment, Sharpe said her brother had called them the day before to tell them of a confrontation he had with the other man in the incident.
“My brother he had a whole life. He had a whole story,” Sharpe said outside of the meeting chambers.
MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Milwaukee and all of southeastern Wisconsin from noon Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with heat index values expected to reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.
While the advisory is expected to end Wednesday evening, hot and humid conditions are forecast to continue through the remainder of the week.
Forecast conditions can change, so everyone is encouraged to monitor local forecasts and follow guidance from the National Weather Service.
Milwaukee County cooling sites
What we know:
Cooling sites are available throughout Milwaukee County.
For an updated list of cooling locations, heat safety information, and resources on preventing heat-related illness, visit the City of Milwaukee website or call 211.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Staying safe during extreme heat
What you can do:
Stay cool
- Limit outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day.
- Spend time in air-conditioned buildings whenever possible such as libraries, shopping centers, or community centers.
- If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is installed and working properly.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- Take cool showers or baths, or use cool, wet towels to lower body temperature.
- Fans may provide comfort but should not be relied upon as the primary cooling method during extreme heat.
Stay hydrated
- Drink water regularly, even if you do not feel thirsty.
- Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine, which can contribute to dehydration.
- Encourage children, older adults, and others at higher risk to drink fluids throughout the day.
Protect yourself and others
- Never leave children, older adults, or pets unattended in vehicles. Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can become deadly within minutes.
- Check on older neighbors, family members, and others who may need assistance staying cool.
- Many public cooling sites are located along Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) routes. Visit RideMCTS.com for transit information.
Know the Signs of Heat-Related Illness
Heat exhaustion may include:
- Heavy sweating
- Weakness or fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Fainting
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms may include:
- High body temperature
- Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
- Confusion
- Rapid pulse
- Loss of consciousness
Call 911 immediately if someone is experiencing signs of heat stroke.
For additional hot weather safety information, visit the City of Milwaukee website.
The Source: City of Milwaukee Health Department sent FOX6 the information.
Milwaukee, WI
Squire Robinson leads a new generation of Milwaukee artists with his distinctly bold style
In a cavernous attic studio stands Squire Robinson.
Next to him on the ground is an unfinished painting of his. Hung above him are numerous paintings that he’s finished in the past year.
The walls are filled with works of art, crafted by the various artists who also call 100% MKE, a nonprofit arts studio and workspace at 217 N. Broadway, home.
Robinson’s art doesn’t just stand among them – it stands out.
Maybe it’s the saturated reds that prevail in each of his pieces.
Maybe it’s the bold strokes that create the even bolder figures that call his paintings home.
Either way, Robinson’s art has a tangible effect for those with the eyes to see.
“Sometimes the most important piece of art is that you feel. His art makes you feel,” Richard Badger Jr. said. Badger, who goes by the artist name Coyote Rich, is also an artist in residence at 100% MKE.
Robinson first fell in love with art through his grandfather, who painted signs for corner stores. Early memories of drawing contests with his grandfather enchanted Squire into the art world.
Later, Robinson drew comics and superhero characters, foreshadowing the powerful figures he paints today.
“My style has always been there, it’s just evolution, it grows and changes,” Robinson said.
Robinson, a 2024 graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, has always had a certain fascination with Renaissance-era paintings.
Yet despite his appreciation of the style, something was missing.
“I appreciated the technique and skill, but I just couldn’t really relate to it,” Robinson said.
For him, the lack of diversity made the style feel distant.
Black culture in art
Now, Robinson’s style flows through the powerful Black people he paints.
“I took some of that flavor and remixed it to something that is more me,” Robinson said. “My inspiration comes from Black culture, music and my dreams.”
Robinson’s own personality is vehemently present in each of his pieces.
“His art has a very strong personality behind it,” said Nelle Speerschneider, a co-founding board member of 100% MKE.
By the end of a lengthy creative process, Robinson’s pieces are saturated with color and shapes that make viewers stop and stare. For Robinson, that’s the goal.
“To me, good art is when you can just stare at it and sit with it and think,” Robinson said. “If you see my work and walk right past it, then I didn’t do something right.”
Music and the flow state
Robinson said when he is met with a blank canvas, he doesn’t begin with a person or a setting; he starts with the mood. Then, with the help of music, he lets his art flow.
“I don’t try to contain the style, it’s just all me,” Robinson said.
Music is a big deal for Robinson. So much so that he can’t paint without it. Robinson’s taste in music, from classical and jazz to his love for Kendrick Lamar, seeps into his art.
“Squire’s art makes me feel like music,” Badger said.
Robinson said music helps him loosen up and get out of a funk.
“It helps me escape and enter that flow state,” Robinson said.
He said music supports his ethereal creative process.
“Sometimes when I paint, I feel like I’m being guided by something higher than me,” Robinson said.
Milwaukee made
As a young figure in the Milwaukee art scene, Robinson wears the city on his sleeve.
“Growing up in Milwaukee made me hard in the sense of staying true to myself,” Robinson said.
At 100% MKE, Robinson offers a unique voice. “It’s nice to have his youthful and urban take in the studio,” Speerschneider said.
Badger said young artists like Robinson are vital for pushing the scene forward.
“They’re the driving force of what Milwaukee looks and feels like,” he said.
Future goals
Going forward, Robinson wants to become an art therapist, someone who uses the medium of art to process emotional challenges.
“Art has always been a way to self-express and get my own feelings out,” Robinson said. “That’s why the tone of my paintings matters the most, because those feelings are what I’m trying to evoke.”
As for his art career, Robinson says his finest work is yet to come.
“I haven’t created my best one yet.”
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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Milwaukee, WI
Post From Community: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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