Milwaukee Police Officer Killed In Robbery Investigation Identified

MILWAUKEE, WI — A Milwaukee police officer with over 4 years of service died after a struggle with a robbery suspect early Tuesday morning ended in gunfire, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman told reporters at a news conference.

Officers were called out to the 2700 block of south 14th Street around 1:16 a.m. to look for a suspect in a robbery that happened the previous night, Norman told reporters. The suspect fled and ignored officers until a struggle occurred, Norman said. The suspect fired shots during the struggle, which hit the officer, and the officer shot back, according to a news release from police.

The 37-year-old male police officer was brought to a hospital with life-threatening injuries but despite treatment efforts he died, the news release said. The 19-year-old suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, though, investigators are still looking into if the suspect's injuries were self-inflicted, or if he was hit by the officer's gunfire, according to a news release.

"This is a terrible day for our city and we are hurting," said the news release from police.

Authorities identified the officer at a press conference as Peter Jerving. A report by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that Jerving was commended with a life-saving award in 2022 for his help at the scene of a car crash.

The robbery under investigation had occurred around 11:25 p.m. the prior evening in the 3600 block of west Good Hope Road, a news release said. The robbery suspect was identified by the Journal Sentinel as Terrell I Thompson.

"One of our finest who put on that uniform put on that badge went into work last night and paid the ultimate sacrifice for protecting our community," said Norman at a conference Tuesday morning. "Milwaukee, we need your prayers, we need your support."

"Our community needs you," Norman, speaking to officers, said at the conference, "this is the time to lean in and do the work that needs to be done in our community. The violence needs to stop. Everyone has a role in community protection."

Authorities did not release the identities of the two who were killed at first. Norman said the Brookfield Police Department is leading the investigation.

The officer's death has sparked reactions from leaders local and far. In a tweet addressing the officer's death Tuesday afternoon, Democrat U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin wrote in part "my thoughts are with his family and all the brave men and women in uniform at MPD. We must do more to keep our communities safe and address the gun violence epidemic."

State Rep. Bob Donovan, a Republican who represents parts of southern Milwaukee County including Greenfield, also responded to the death.

“I woke up this morning like so many others to the tragic news of yet another Milwaukee Police officer gunned down while serving in the line of duty," said Donovan in a release, adding condolences to those affected from himself and his wife Kathy.

"Kathy and I became members of the Milwaukee Police Department family in 2007 when our daughter became an officer," wrote Donovan. "We know all too well the dangers and sacrifices these officers endure on a daily basis – for the safety of us all. May God welcome the fallen officer into His kingdom as we offer up our thoughts and prayers to all involved.”

Members of the Milwaukee Common Council also addressed the officer's death in a joint statement signed by Mark Chambers, Jr., Jonathan Brostoff, Robert J. Bauman, Milele A. Coggs, Khalif J. Rainey, JoCasta Zamarripa, Michael J. Murphy, Mark A. Borkowski, José G. Pérez, Scott Spiker, Marina Dimitrijevic, and Russell W. Stamper.

"We encourage the wider Milwaukee community to join with us in honoring the memory of our fallen officer while continuing to support one another during this painful time," reads the joint statement. "We also ask community members to pray for peace, for a stop to the normalization of gun carrying and/or gun culture, and for an end to senseless violence anywhere and everywhere in our city."

Milwaukee Common Council President José G. Pérez said the death, which occurred just blocks from his home, is deeply saddening.

"In our city we have too many guns, too many who are willing to carry and use guns, and far too much violence affecting every neighborhood," Perez wrote in a news release. "The death of every citizen is a tragic loss for our city, but it is especially tragic when it's a police officer who has sworn an oath to protect and serve."

"We as a city need to come together," said Perez. "We can and we must do better. This is up to all of us. Fathers and mothers, grandparents, pastors and priests, community activists. We need peace on our streets and an end to the violence."