Jordan Fricke sentenced to life in prison for shooting and killing MPD Officer Matthew Rittner
Updated: 11:27 a.m. on October 3, 2019
MILWAUKEE -- (CBS 58) -- Jordan Fricke, the man who was found guilty of fatally shooting 35-year-old Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner, was sentenced on Thursday, October 3 to life behind bars without the possibility of parole.
Fricke, 27, was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.
Officer Rittner was a 17-year police veteran helping serve a search warrant for suspected illegal guns and drugs at a Milwaukee duplex when he was killed on February 6.
At the sentencing hearing, Rittner's wife Caroline spoke. She told the court she recently gave birth to the couple's second child, a baby girl.
"I am numb, broken and angry for the most part," she said. "I lost the love of my life, the father of my children, my best friend, all in the blink of an eye."
Fricke kept his head down during Rittner's loved ones' testimony. He then addressed the court through tears.
"I did not wake up that morning wanting to kill or hurt anyone, especially a police officer," he said. "It was a horrible mistake."
The judge disagreed, telling Fricke his actions were not mistakes.
"You deliberately shot off those rounds of destruction," Judge Jeffrey Wagner said. "Taking the life of a valued member of the police community and the community as a whole, a father, a son."
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales sat in on the hearing. He said he is satisfied with the outcome.
"Matthew Rittner made a choice to wear the uniform and run the mission of the department and he died a hero," Morales said. "Jordan Fricke made choices of living a criminal lifestyle, he pulled the trigger, he can never take those bullets back."
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett agreed. He told CBS 58 the sentence was just and Fricke deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.
------
Posted: 9:31 p.m. on October 2, 2019
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A man convicted of killing a Milwaukee police officer will learn his fate on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Jordan Fricke's sentencing hearing was moved up by more than two weeks. It was initially set for Oct. 18.
Fricke shot and killed Officer Matthew Rittner in February.
Rittner was part of a tactical unit serving a no-knock search warrant at Fricke's home.
Fricke, 27, was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and maintaining a drug trafficking place on July 12.