Not long after 8:30pm on December 19, 2022, Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton is seen on video (below) leaving a contentious City Council meeting. He had just received word that his officers were under fire from a deranged man on 56th St.
Minutes before, Kenosha Police Officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of 56th St, just blocks from the Kenosha County Courthouse, for a report of an active shooter. Investigators would learn that a group of people were watching movies, when a transient named Matthew Lopez began to point a gun at people in the home. A woman who was present yelled for her son and other people to leave, which they did. Lopez didn’t like this and shot at the women twice, missing her. A man, who lived in a small residence behind the home, approached the home to inquire what the commotion was and he was shot by Lopez in the arm and leg. Lopez and another man remained in the home. At least two Kenosha Police patrol officers and two patrol Sergeants arrived on scene and immediately were shot at by Lopez. One officer said out loud to another, “We were right there. He was firing at us out the window. I don’t know how any of us were not shot.” This officer, said Kenosha DA Mike Graveley, was in so much peril, that two officers had to extract her with a ballistic shield while she took cover behind a vehicle. The two patrol Sergeants fired back at Lopez. “Kenosha Police Officers then made the decision to place their own lives in even more direct peril by forming a contact team, which then kicked down the door of the residence, hoping to preserve the lives of wounded hostages,” said Graveley.
Just before the contact team engaged, Lopez called 9-1-1 (call below) and told police to not approach, but said that he had wounded hostages, and one “does not look good.” When police entered the home, they found one dead male who was later identified as Lopez and another seriously injured man, who later died. Lopez took his own life.
Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton was on scene and got into a running unmarked police car that was near the scene. He drove directly in front of the home where the shots were fired. Patton transported two patients to a nearby ambulance. One, unbeknownst to police at the time, was the dead gunman. Another, was a man who was seriously injured, but survived, seemingly with the heroic action of all first responders involved. Below, we have several videos and the 750 page investigative report from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, who investigated the shooting. The investigation showed ample evidence that officer were obviously justified in returning fire and attempting to defend themselves and others.
Officer Bray Body Cam
Sgft. Jurgens Body Cam
Sgt. Miller Body Cam
Sgt. Jurgens Squad Cam
Officer Cox Squad Cam
Officer Courtier Body Cam
Matthew Lopez Call to 9-1-1
759 Page Investigative Report
Click Here to Download Crime Scene Photos From Wisconsin State Police (Very Large File)
5 Responses
Thanks for obtaining and posting this.
It took months for a multitude of investigators to prepare over 700 pages of reports. They had in many instances “the luxury of time” while officers in life threatening situations may have to react in a few seconds or less. I hope everyone who reads this does so with that in mind.
Wild wild west
I believe there was also a Deputy involved you are leaving out
The deputy did not have his body camera activated