Local
Body-camera video released in Milwaukee police shooting that killed Printis Smith
Milwaukee police released footage Wednesday showing the moments before an officer shot and killed 23-year-old Printis Smith after a vehicle pursuit and foot chase. The video captures commands, a physical struggle and a gun in Smith’s hand, but does not clearly show when the officer was shot or resolve all questions raised by Smith’s family.
**MILWAUKEE —** Milwaukee police released body-camera footage Wednesday from the Sept. 8 shooting that killed 23-year-old Printis Smith, offering new details about a pursuit and struggle that ended near 37th Street and Meinecke Avenue.
Police said the incident began after officers spotted a gold Chevrolet Equinox connected to a shots-fired call in Glendale. The vehicle was pursued the following day, and the people inside fled on foot after the chase ended in an alley near 38th Street and Wright Street, about a block north of the eventual shooting scene.
In the footage, an officer repeatedly orders Smith to get on the ground as police pursue him. The officer eventually catches Smith and appears to grab him from behind. The camera view becomes obscured during the close-range struggle, while audio continues. Shortly afterward, the officer says, “Shots fired.”
A still image from the footage shows Smith on the ground with a handgun in his hand. Police said the officer, a 35-year-old with three years on the job, was shot in the leg during the encounter and was treated and released from a hospital. The video does not clearly establish when that injury occurred.
Smith’s family has acknowledged that he was armed but disputes that he fired at the officer. Their attorney, B’Ivory LaMarr, previously characterized the shooting as an execution, according to the Milwaukee Police Association. The union’s president, Alexander Ayala, said the video showed Smith fleeing with a handgun, ignoring repeated commands and posing an immediate threat to the officer.
Police said Smith had two active warrants related to illegal weapons use. Investigators said he had two guns on him and that a third gun was found in the SUV. Online court records also show a prior criminal history.
The owner of the Equinox has not been located, police said. Authorities have not publicly established whether that person was with Smith during the shooting, and the person has not been criminally charged.
The Wauwatosa Police Department is leading the investigation. The Milwaukee officer has been placed on administrative duty, a routine step following an officer-involved shooting.
The release of the footage provides additional evidence about the confrontation but leaves significant issues for investigators to address, including the exact sequence of gunfire and whether the available video fully captures the struggle. No update from the lead investigating agency was included with the footage’s release.