A mob assaulted and shot at a suspended Wisconsin police officer at his Wauwatosa home, police reported Sunday.
Officer Joseph Mensah, who was suspended after shooting and killing a third person in a five-year period, and his unidentified significant other were injured in the coordinated attack by roughly 50-60 people on Saturday, police said, according to Fox 6. The officer was beaten after attempting to speak with demonstrators who reportedly vandalized the property, WDJT reported.
“Last night, protesters came to my girlfriend’s house while I was there, and tried to kill me,” Mensah wrote on Facebook, according to Fox 6. “We were both assaulted, punched and ultimately shot at several times. A shotgun round missed me by inches.”
“I’m all for peaceful protests, even against me, but this was anything but peaceful,” he continued. “The irony in all of this is that they chanted Black Lives Matter the entire time, but had zero regard for any of the black children that live there or me, a black man.”
Mensah reportedly shot and killed three people over the last five years in the line of duty, two of which have been ruled justified, Fox 6 reported. The officer was suspended from the Wauwatosa police force by a unanimous city council vote on July 15 after he shot and killed a 17-year-old in February, according to Fox 6.
The officer was placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the case’s further review, Fox 6 reported.
Cell phone video from resident in neighborhood by 100th & Vienna in #Wauwatosa shows protesters vandalizing outside of Joseph Mensah’s girlfriend’s house last night. @WauwatosaPD say as Mensah tried to talk w/ the crowd he was physically assaulted & that some1 fired a shot @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/jNMrU7TXI3
— Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) August 9, 2020
After being assaulted, Mensah retreated back into the house, WDJT reported. The mob advanced toward the house’s backdoor and fired a shotgun round into the home, according to the local outlet. Milwaukee-area Black Lives Matter activist Vaun Mayes disputes this account and said Mensah grabbed one protester’s gun sling, causing the weapon to fire, Heavy reported.
Police identified the home as Mensah’s private residence in a statement, though Mensah referred to the home as his girlfriend’s in a Facebook post.
Saturday’s incident is still under investigation, the local outlet reported. (RELATED: ‘Morale Is In The Toilet’: Police Union Officials Wouldn’t Want Their Own Sons In Law Enforcement)
“In recent weeks, various groups have protested in Wauwatosa, demanding that Officer Mensah be fired,” Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride said in a statement.
“The City of Wauwatosa has always supported and protected the right to peaceful protest. Last night’s event was not a peaceful protest; it was criminal behavior. If the perpetrators of this criminal behavior are identified, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
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