Wounding Of Milwaukee Officer Raises Concerns About Guns

The killings on Sunday of police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the wounding of a Milwaukee officer are prompting more calls to limit access to guns.

Milwaukee police said Officer Brandon Baranowski was shot on Sunday morning while responding to a domestic violence call. Police said a 20-year-old Hispanic man shot the officer and later committed suicide.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the wounding or killing of officers in Milwaukee, Baton Rouge and two weeks ago in Dallas, should prompt tighter gun laws.

“The American people are ultimately going to decide whether the gun lobby is the one who controls the laws in this country, or whether the citizens of this country control the laws. Up (until) now at the federal or state level, there’s no question, the gun lobby is calling the shots,” Barrett said.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville commented on the Baton Rouge shootings by saying, “We will not tolerate brutal violence against law enforcement.”

Meantime, in Milwaukee, police officers will ride two-to-a-vehicle as a result of Sunday shootings.

Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief William Jessup said Baranowski was alone in his squad car, but a second officer was in a police car nearby. Jessup said for the time being, patrol officers will ride with a partner.

“Certainly, the officers at this moment in time in light of Baton Rouge and the other incidents occurring nationwide and in the city of Milwaukee will feel more comfortable responding as two-person units,” Jessup said.

After the killing of police in Dallas, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said police officers on the night shift would ride together.