Statement from Dane County Executive Parisi on announcement of no charges in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton

December 22, 2014
Melanie Conklin, Communications Director, 608.267.8823
County Executive

MADISON:  The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office announced today that a former Milwaukee police officer will not be charged in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton last spring. In response, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi issued the following statement:

 

“The family of Dontre Hamilton, the unarmed Milwaukee man who died after being shot fourteen times by a Milwaukee police officer, has just joined the families of Eric Garner, Michael Brown and too many others in being told that the man who killed their son will not stand trial. 

 

“The families of officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, two police officers shot dead in their car this weekend in New York City, are trying to absorb the horrifying reality that their loved ones will never return home.

 

“These and too many other recent and not-so-recent tragedies inform the urgent need to focus on the very real challenges that exist both here and across the nation.  It’s time to recognize and acknowledge our community’s challenges, strengths and short comings, and to concentrate our efforts on the steps needed to bring about change.

 

“These tragedies are a call to action, and this call to action will be my priority throughout the coming year.  We will continue and increase our efforts to confront these difficult issues with the goal of insuring that our community is one in which everyone has access to the same level of opportunity, security, and a fair and just existence.”

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