Feb 03, 2026
A 26-year-old man stole a Wauwatosa police squad and led officers on a chase into Brookfield Tuesday morning, injuring four officers before being taken into custody, according to the Wauwatosa Police Department.Police said the i ncident began around 10:05 a.m. in the Mayfair Mall parking lot after mall security told the man to leave.Officers said he returned to a white minivan that had earlier been linked to a reported domestic violence incident and police chases in Oak Creek and Brown Deer.Wauwatosa police said officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the man drove off, leading them on a chase north on North Mayfair Road and west on North Avenue.Near North 116th Street, police said the man got out of the minivan and jumped into an unattended Wauwatosa police squad. He then drove it in reverse, knocking officers to the ground and hitting another squad, authorities said.Watch the witness video below: Video captures Wauwatosa police response to incident near Lily Road and West NorthPolice said the man then led a second chase in the stolen squad into Brookfield before crashing near North Avenue and San Fernando Drive.Officers said he ran from the crash but was caught after a short foot chase.Witnesses working along North Avenue said they saw several police vehicles speed past, followed by what appeared to be a collision between squad cars.We were in a meeting in my office, and we saw 20-plus cop cars kind of drive by, said Michelle Cochran, who was with coworkers Sarah Wilhelm and Mia Geiger at the time. One car looked like it tried to stop the other, Wilhelm said. We were a little confused there because we didnt know if he had stolen the car.The group recorded a video of the aftermath, which shows a man wearing a fluorescent yellow jacket running from police before being tackled to the ground.Police said four Wauwatosa officers were taken to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.The suspect was also transported to a hospital as a precaution.Despite the chaos, Wilhelm said she was relieved no one was seriously hurt.We were all so proud and happy no one got really hurt, she said.We dont know what happened, but they really took it very seriously and were thankful for them protecting our community. Police say the suspect has multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants.The earlier Oak Creek and Brown Deer incidents, along with the Brookfield pursuit, remain under review, with referrals for criminal charges pending.Police also said that an internal review will examine how the suspect gained access to a squad vehicle."This story was reported on-air by Kaylee Staral and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less
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