'I was floored', Menomonee Falls family car stolen, used in Third Ward shooting

 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) - A Menomonee Falls family says their 2009 Volkswagen was stolen from their driveway Monday and used in a violent crime Thursday. 

CBS 58 spoke with Kora Vancuran who says her family just moved to Wisconsin a few months ago from Idaho. 

On Monday morning, Kora started the car and left it running near her garage. Her kids were getting ready to go to school in it. Shortly after, Kora's son Cameron went outside and noticed the car was missing. He then told his mother and they called the police. 

"It's not something you'd expect to happen, but sometimes it does." 

Kora says officers came to her door a few days later to inform her of what happened to the vehicle. 

"It wasn't until Thursday night when we got home from work and soccer and everything else that we do during the day an officer had come up to the door and said they'd found our car but it was involved in a very serious crime." 

An off-duty detective with the Milwaukee Police Department was shot in the Third Ward, Thursday January 13, while intervening in a robbery attempt. It happened near Water and Buffalo Streets around 2 p.m. 

During a press conference Thursday night, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the suspect had unsuccessfully attempted to steal a vehicle with three children inside. The suspect then left the vehicle and began to leave the scene. 

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the female driver of the vehicle found a cell phone around her car and went into a nearby business. The suspect then followed the woman inside and tried to rob her. A 37-year-old off-duty Milwaukee police detective intervened, said he was an officer and tried to detain the suspect. 

Chief Norman said, "The suspect fired multiple shots at the off-duty detective, striking him several times, then fled the scene. He sustained life-threatening injuries in the shooting and was taken to an area hospital where he's said to be in stable condition." 

Chief Norman says the detective returned fire, but it did not appear anyone was hit.

The suspect left in a vehicle that was seen later on 27th and State Street. Officers tried to stop the vehicle, and a pursuit began. It ended near 30th and Chambers. 

Several suspects fled on foot. A 17-year-old and 18-year-old were apprehended on scene. 

Vancuran says she was shocked to hear the details. 

"I was floored and then when he told me what story it was, it hurt. Because someone decided to take our vehicle and decided to use it for such a heinous crime. It's inexcusable."

She went on to tell CBS 58 "I started shaking a little bit because you're just scared of what else happened to that car and I don't know how to explain it but it's just something that you'd ever look at thinking, oh yes this could happen to me, but unfortunately it did." 

Vancuran's family says the only thing that matters to their family is the safety of the officer. 

"Things are just things, people are more important. That officer definitely stood up for someone and that was very heroic of him." 

Kora says investigators still need to finish processing her vehicle for evidence. 

CBS 58 will continue to follow this for any developments or updates.