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Fricke Guilty Of First-Degree Intentional Homicide In Death Of Milwaukee Officer Rittner

Jordan Fricke Shot, Killed Matthew Rittner In February

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Milwaukee Police car
Milwaukee Police stage on the city’s south side Wednesday, February 6, 2019 after responding to a call of an officer being shot that morning. The officer, 35-year-old Matthew Rittner, was taken to a hospital where he died later that day. Corri Hess/WPR

A Wisconsin man has been convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the February shooting death of Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jordan Fricke was convicted Friday by a jury that deliberated for a little more than an hour.

Fricke testified Friday that he believed he heard gunshots and fired in self-defense. But Rittner was actually using a battering ram to serve a search warrant on Fricke’s home.

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Prosecutors have said Fricke had to know it was police because they loudly announced their presence.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Fricke said he bought a gun in 2013 for protection, after then-Sheriff David Clarke Jr. told residents to arm themselves because police were slow to respond.

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