DOJ: Racine police officer fatally shoots man armed with handgun, DCI investigating

RACINE, Wis. — A Racine police officer fatally shot a man armed with a gun following an attempted traffic stop in the city Friday afternoon, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said.

In a news release, the justice department said just after 1 p.m. Friday, the officer tried to stop a vehicle that was the subject of a search warrant for a felon in possession of a firearm in the area of 12th and Schiller streets. The man continued driving for a short distance before taking off on foot.

After a short foot chase over a fence and up a small hill, officials said the officer saw the man armed with a handgun. The officer then fired their gun and shot the man, who died at a local hospital.

WTMJ-TV reports the shooting happened near the area of 11th and Center streets.

Police found a gun at the scene, the release said. The incident was caught on the officer’s body-worn camera.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave under department policy. Their name has not been released.

Racine Police Chief Maurice Robinson said in a statement officers “have been executing search warrants on identified vehicles and persons” as part of an effort to address an increase in gun violence in the city.

No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident.

The justice department’s Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.