Wauwatosa, Wisconsin riots after cop not charged in killing

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Windows of businesses and apartments were left shattered by rioters outraged that a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, police officer would not be charged in connection to the death of a 17-year-old.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm announced on Wednesday that Wauwatosa police Officer Joseph Mensah had an "objectively reasonable" belief that he needed to use deadly force during an arrest of Alvin Cole in February. Protests broke out almost immediately after the decision was announced. Some of those protests spun into riots.

The City of Wauwatosa, which borders Milwaukee, implemented a curfew at 7 p.m. to control the crowds. Still, many rioters remained in the streets after curfew. Videos from the evening show rioters hurling objects through windows of homes and stores. There was also footage captured by Townhall of a gas station being looted. Wauwatosa police formed a perimeter around city haul and deployed tear gas to clear the crowds around 11 p.m.

Chisholm called Cole's death a tragedy, but he maintained there was "sufficient evidence" that Mensah believed he needed to use deadly force. Chisholm also released eight minutes of video footage of the incident.

"I do not believe that the State could disprove self-defense or defense of others in this case and therefore could not meet the burden required to charge Officer Mensah. With this I conclude my criminal review of the matter," Chisholm wrote.

The mother and sisters of 17-year-old Alvin Cole, who was shot and killed by police in February, were arrested by Wauwatosa Police in Wisconsin following another night of protests, according to the family's attorney.

Tracy Cole, Taleavia Cole and Tristiana Cole were taken into custody Thursday night, their attorney Kimberly Motley told CNN.

A 7 p.m. curfew was in effect following news that Officer Joseph Mensah, who shot Alvin Cole, will not face criminal charges -- a decision many people took to the streets to protest.

Motley said the mother, Tracy Cole, was injured and taken to the hospital with a large bump on her forehead and an injured arm.

"I am extremely worried about Tracy," Motley told CNN. "Her family says they have been unable to see her in the hospital. Police are there. This is a grieving mother. She always protests peacefully. The only thing she may have done is be out past curfew but this is a direct result of the Wauwatosa police department mishandling the case against Officer Joseph Mensah.”

Alvin Cole was shot and killed outside a Wauwatosa mall on February 2 when police responded to a disturbance call, police said. Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber told reporters at the time that Cole fired a gun before an officer returned fire.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John T. Chisholm wrote in a letter to the Wauwatosa police chief that there was "sufficient evidence" showing that Mensah believed deadly force was necessary and "that belief was objectively reasonable."