Chief Flynn: Individual Shot, Killed By Police Had Lengthy Arrest Record

The man shot and killed by a Milwaukee police officer on Saturday afternoon has been identified as 23-year-old Sylville K Smith, a young man with a lengthy arrest record with the Milwaukee Police Department. 

At a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Chief Ed Flynn confirmed the individual's identity.

Smith was stopped when officers saw his vehicle "behaving suspiciously," on Saturday afternoon Flynn said. "It was very fast, and the individual was armed and did turn to the officer with the gun in his hand."

The officer who fired the deadly shot "happened to be African-American," Flynn said. He added that that officer is staying with family out of town, because of concern for his safety. 

While Flynn said there was a "great deal of gunfire in the [Milwaukee] area," there is not one report of use of force by an officer, and not one officer fired his gun during the disturbance. 

"All residents should be thankful to our firefighters and police department," said Mayor Barrett, who was also present at the press conference. 

Flynn and Barrett urged the public to keep the calm Sunday evening. 

"I don't know what's going to happen tonight, I hope that the people understand that this individual had a loaded gun and the officer told the individual to drop it," Barrett said.