Rioters smashed the windows of homes and businesses in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, late Wednesday after prosecutors declined to charge a Black police officer for fatally shooting a Black teenager earlier this year.
The Wauwatosa Police Department shared two videos on Twitter showing “footage of the unlawful assembly” captured by Townhall senior writer Julio Rosas. In one video shared by police, vandals are seen throwing rocks into the first floor windows of at least two homes or apartment buildings before others loudly objected.
“Hey, that’s somebody’s home!” a person yelled in the video.
“Those are people’s houses!” another person shouted.
Another video by Mr. Rosas shared by Wauwatosa police showed several demonstrators throwing bricks into the storefronts of businesses along West North Avenue. One vandal can be seen smashing all the windows of the Kumon Math and Reading Center, a learning center for children.
Earlier Wednesday, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm announced he wouldn’t pursue criminal charges against Wauwatosa Officer Joseph Mensah, who is Black, for his involvement in the Feb. 2 death of Alvin Cole, a Black teenager who was fatally shot outside Mayfair Mall after police say he pulled a gun.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched peacefully earlier in the day to protest the district attorney’s decision, but the protests devolved into violence after the city’s 7 p.m. curfew that had been put in place in anticipation of the unrest.
Police said they declared the demonstration unlawful and fired teargas into the crowd at least twice after the rioters failed to disperse.
“Individuals in the group are throwing large rocks at law enforcement and buildings in the area of Swan Bl / W North Ave.,” the police department tweeted. “Residents in this area are advised to shelter in their homes, lock their doors, and move away from windows.”
“What started as a protest has become a large disturbance of public order that has caused property damage, and is threatening to cause injury to persons. The Wauwatosa Police has ordered dispersal, and has not obtained compliance,” the department tweeted. “While not all members of the group intend harm, everyone must disperse immediately. Police are working to disperse this group.”
Another video shared by Mr. Rosas showed looters ransacking a gas station. Another showed a homeowner pleading with demonstrators to stop destroying his neighborhood.
Footage of the unlawful assembly. https://t.co/ztY963euoa
— Wauwatosa Police (WI) (@WauwatosaPD) October 8, 2020
More footage of the rocks being thrown at Swan Bl / W North Av. https://t.co/plE687iIdb
— Wauwatosa Police (WI) (@WauwatosaPD) October 8, 2020
As the BLM crowd was marching through the neighborhoods of Wauwatosa, one man came out to tell people to get off of his property, telling them there are people who most likely support BLM. One guy drove on his yard with a motorcycle. pic.twitter.com/yxOyZXqMOQ
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) October 8, 2020
People began looting a gas station in Wauwatosa and only stopped because police started to roll in. pic.twitter.com/4u5YCZQcmB
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) October 8, 2020
