Police officers in Milwaukee shot and killed a man near the site of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, according to authorities.
Security arrangements for the convention have come under scrutiny since Saturday when Donald Trump, the former president and Republican nominee for the upcoming November election, was the target of an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The officers involved in Tuesday’s shooting were from Columbus, Ohio, according to a police union statement, which added that no officers were injured. The statement reported that officers saw the man brandishing a knife while patrolling the area and fired at him after he turned towards them.
Neighbours said the individual killed was a regular at a homeless encampment in the neighbourhood. It is not clear whether the man had any connection to the convention or any plans to approach closer to the event.
“Milwaukee has blood on its hands,” said Ryan Clancy, a state representative from Milwaukee. “This is not near the RNC. The police should not be here.”
About 4,000 officers from other states and cities are in Wisconsin for the convention. Columbus, Ohio, provided a “police dialogue team” to work on demonstrations.
