High-speed Milwaukee car chase leaves officer injured, 2 suspects arrested

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A 28-year-old Milwaukee man has been arrested after leading police on a high-speed car chase throughout the city spanning dozens of blocks.

The chase included shots exchanged between the suspects and officers.

The pursuit began just after 2:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 6.

Police said they were responding to reports of shots fired on the city's north side near the Franklin Heights neighborhood.

Milwaukee police said the gunfire was reported by their "ShotSpotter" technology.

When police arrived on the scene, they saw a car driving recklessly.

They attempted to stop the car, but the driver ignored the officer's commands. That’s when the chase ensued.

Police followed the car, and the suspects opened fire on the police, hitting the officer's car.

During the chase, an officer was hit by debris from the gunfire, however, their injuries were minor.

People who live near the area said the sight of car chases and the sound of gunfire does not surprise them.

"They're zooming, they're coming straight down this street, and now when you're getting chased, like you're reckless, you don’t know what you’re doing, smacking back and forth in between the cars," said Vae Billings, a woman who lives on the block where the chase started.

Billings has lived in the Franklin Heights neighborhood for most of her life.

"I was like this is normal, like I literally slept through it so I didn’t really hear it, honestly. I don’t know, it’s something I'm used to," said Billings.

The chase went from the north side of Milwaukee to the south side, ending in the city's Burnham neighborhood.

The chase lasted almost an hour and a half.

"Yeah, it was a pretty crazy thing, but that happens I guess around here," said Christopher Doering, a man who lives on the block where the chase ended.

Doering caught the moment the police arrested the suspect on his Ring camera.

"The guy had his hands up, he came out, the cops were yelling, he cooperated correctly," said Doering.

The cops took two suspects into custody, the driver and a 35-year-old Milwaukee man who ran on foot but was eventually caught.

The chase, leaving the Milwaukee Police Association advocating for harsher punishment for repeat offenders.

"We want to see no bail for these people. We arrested them one time, under the most dangerous circumstances that officers and citizens can face," said Andrew Wagner, Milwaukee Police Association president.

According to open records, there have been 836 car chases involving the MPD this year.