Household of man killed in capturing say off-duty police officer’s actions justified

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The household of 26-year-old Elijah Wilks mentioned Thursday they consider the off-duty Milwaukee officer who fatally shot him acted justifiably after a visitors encounter final week, citing video that reveals Wilks putting the officer with a gun and pointing it at him earlier than being shot.

Police mentioned the 41-year-old off-duty officer, a 21-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), was concerned in a minor automobile incident round 8:30 a.m. Thursday on West Mill Highway on the town’s northwest aspect.

Dashcam video from the officer’s automobile confirmed a development zone the place drivers had been pressured to merge. Wilks was seen transferring into the left lane and slicing off the officer.

B’Ivory Lamarr, the household’s legal professional, mentioned throughout a information convention Monday that the 2 exchanged phrases earlier than the officer’s automobile struck Wilks’ automobile. Each males then pulled over, bought out, and continued to argue, although their phrases had been inaudible within the video.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/343/192/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/686/384/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/672/378/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1344/756/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/931/523/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1862/1046/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/720/405/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1440/810/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Milwaukee police launched footage of an off-duty officer-involved capturing that occurred on Oct. 9. (Milwaukee Police Division)

Video reveals Wilks pointing to the officer’s automobile, apparently accusing him of inflicting harm. Lamarr mentioned Wilks then pulled out a firearm and struck the off-duty officer with it, an act additionally captured on digital camera.

"The video through which myself and his mom watched right this moment is that he did slap the off-duty officer with a firearm," Lamarr mentioned. "It does depict Elijah pointing the firearm on the off-duty officer. The off-duty officer did reply, we consider, in accordance together with his coaching and did fireplace off a number of photographs."

The video then reveals Wilks reappearing on the opposite aspect of his automobile because the officer fired further photographs, putting him a number of occasions. Wilks died on the scene.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/343/192/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/686/384/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/672/378/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1344/756/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/931/523/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1862/1046/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/720/405/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1440/810/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Milwaukee police launched footage of an off-duty officer-involved capturing that occurred on Oct. 9. (Milwaukee Police Division)

Relations and Lamarr expressed concern that the officer didn't administer first assist after the capturing, although they mentioned they consider the officer’s actions had been justified.

"I need to now take this second to handle what we did see," Lamarr mentioned at a information convention. "And once more, that is one thing that oftentimes, I do not assume I've ever come earlier than and did a press convention like this, however we are going to acknowledge that we do consider that this officer-involved shooting was justified."

He added that whereas the capturing was "unlucky and tragic," the household "stands earlier than you right this moment acknowledging the officer’s actions."

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/343/192/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/686/384/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/672/378/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1344/756/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/931/523/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1862/1046/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/720/405/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/1440/810/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-off-duty-officer-involved-fatal-shooting-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Milwaukee police launched footage of an off-duty officer-involved capturing that occurred on Oct. 9. (Milwaukee Police Division)

The household and their legal professional reviewed the footage the day after the capturing and mentioned Monday they consider their beloved one made a tragic mistake.

"He was an excellent particular person … everyone beloved my brother," mentioned his sister, Elayjah Wilks.

His aunt, Andrea Ward, mentioned the incident might have occurred to anybody, including, "We're all one seat away from making the mistaken resolution."

One other aunt, Latrice Bell, mentioned, "He decided that he shouldn't have made, and that's simply one thing we've got to stay with. I don’t consider Elijah knew that he was a police officer, however whether or not it was or wasn’t — the encounter ought to have been completely different."

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Underneath MPD coverage, subsequent of kin should be allowed to view video inside 48 hours of a lethal incident, and related footage should be launched publicly inside 15 days.

On this case, the division launched the video nicely forward of that deadline.

Lamarr mentioned the household’s resolution to acknowledge the officer’s actions was not straightforward however mirrored their want for accountability, transparency, and therapeutic in a metropolis nonetheless grappling with the toll of violence.