Protest over fatal shooting forces brief closure of Mayfair Mall

July 23, 2016
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By Jacob Carpenter, the Journal Sentinel

July 23, 2016 0

Wauwatosa —Protestors demanding justice for the June killing of Jay Anderson by a Wauwatosa police officer marched through Mayfair Mall on Saturday, briefly forcing its closure, Wauwatosa police said.

No arrests were made. Wauwatosa Police Sgt. Kyle Strands said the protestors disbanded without significant incident.

"There wasn't any behavior that warranted any arrests," Strands said.

Strands said an exact count of protestors wasn't available, but it was likely in the dozens. The protest began at about 2 p.m.

A Mayfair Mall security director declined to comment at the scene.

Community activists have been calling for justice in the wake of the June 23 officer-involved shooting that left Anderson, 25, dead. Protestors marched two weeks ago from the Wauwatosa Police Department headquarters on N. 116th Street to the mall on Mayfair Road, where they entered the building and chanted. Activists have also gone to District Attorney John Chisholm's office to push for the release of dashcam videos and other information.

Many circumstances of the shooting remain unknown, though police have said Anderson was in his car in Madison Park when he was shot by the officer. Police Chief Barry Weber has said that officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle when they saw Anderson with a gun. He said the officer who shot Anderson, whose name has not been released, acted out of fear for his safety, shot Anderson out of fear for his safety, though it's not publicly known what threat the officer perceived.

Anderson's family has been demanding release of police dashcam footage.

The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating the shooting in accordance with a state law that requires an outside agency to handle officer-involved shooting cases.

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