MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee police officers were shot in what is being called an ambush Thursday night near 24th and Garfield.
During a press briefing, Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Nicole Waldner said the two injured officers each have just over six years of experience on the force.
She said the call for service came in to 911 at 9:10 p.m. for a "subject with weapons" call. While en route, the call was upgraded to a "shots fired" call. When the officers arrived they were "unexpectedly fired upon" in the alley of the 2200 block of N. 24th Place. Both officers were struck and were unable to return fire.
Watch the full press briefing from local authorities:
A 29-year-old officer was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries while a 32-year-old remains in the hospital in critical condition.
Waldner said police are searching for a known suspect, and the Milwaukee Police Homicide Division will be in charge of the investigation.
"The problem is, too many people have guns," Waldner said. "So I could put an officer on every single corner. That will not eliminate the amount of guns in the hands of people who shouldn't have them, right, all over the city."
Watch: 2 officers shot, critically injured near 24th and Garfield
Mayor Cavalier Johnson encouraged the suspect to turn himself in. He also said anyone who knows the person involved should turn the person in.
"Turn them in," he said. "This is not right. This is absolutely not right."
Prior to the press conference, the Milwaukee Police Association confirmed the shooting in a Facebook post.
"It is with profound sorrow and outrage that we confirm that two Milwaukee police officers were tragically shot and critically injured in the line of duty tonight," the post said. "Our thoughts are with these officers, their families, friends, and colleagues. These officers face unimaginable suffering and they have long roads ahead of them."
Watch: 2 officers shot, critically injured near 24th and Garfield
Early reports came in that one of the officers had been killed; however, TMJ4 is now being told that the officers' pulse "came back" and he is in the operating room.
Milwaukee Police Association President Alex Ayala spoke with reporters at the scene saying, "this is unacceptable."
Watch: Milwaukee Police Association President Alex Ayala calls the shooting 'unacceptable'
Ayala also called the shooting an "ambush."
"Yes, it was an ambush," he said. "The coward tried to ambush my police officers tonight and almost took the life of one of them."
Five Milwaukee police officers have been killed in the line of duty in the past seven years. Prior to 2018, it had been 22 years since an officer was killed.
This is a developing story. Continue following TMJ4 on air and online for updates.
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