June 12, 2009 

NEWS FROM THE MAYOR

Dear Friends,

This was an extremely difficult week for our City’s police officers, paramedics and citizens. Two police officers, 21-year-old Bryan Norberg and 26-year-old Graham Kunisch, were shot by an 18 year-old with a gun; an 18 year-old who had no business carrying a weapon. Thanks to the incredible response from fire and police personnel and the heroic actions of taxi driver Anthony Thompson and UPS employee Mike Charbonneau, the officers are recuperating from very serious gunshot injuries and the suspect is in custody. My thoughts and prayers remain with the officers and their families. 

How many more officers’ lives will be put at risk? How many more children are going to be on either end of a gun in Milwaukee? We need to do everything possible to ensure guns do not end up in the hands of people who should not have them.

I have an obligation to protect the citizens of Milwaukee and to do all that I can to keep the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department out of the line of fire. I have every intention of doing just that. The illegal sale of guns and the illegal possession of guns has got to stop.

I invite you to hear more about our response to this tragedy by clicking the link below to view my comments at the press conference recently held with Chief Flynn. 

Click here to view conference.

I will not allow Milwaukee’s progress against crime to be stymied by this senseless act of violence, and neither should you. I encourage Milwaukee citizens to emulate the attitudes of the officers wounded this week, one who has already expressed his eagerness to recover in order to return to his job ensuring the safety of our City. I urge you to have the same determination and resolve in doing what we can to keep our City safe. Though the City sometimes suffers at the hands of errant criminals, it more often prospers by the deeds of its good citizens. Keep this in mind as you think of the officers who are recovering this week. 

Sincerely,

Mayor, City of Milwaukee  

Visit my website at: http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/mayor