Three Milwaukee police officers were injured in a shootout Thursday with a sexual assault suspect, who also was wounded.
The incident happened at about 10:15 a.m. when four members of Milwaukee Police Department's Special Investigation Division were searching an apartment building for a man wanted in connection with multiple offenses, including sexual assault, WITI-TV reports. Officers located the 35-year-old suspect in a first-floor unit and tried to get him out.
After an hour, the suspect started shooting, and police returned fire. A standoff arose, and the suspect finally surrendered. Police recovered two guns with extended magazines, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
One officer was wounded in the hand, and two others were gazed by bullets. The suspect also was injured, but he's expected to recover.
"These officers could have lost their lives today. Unacceptable," said Chief Jeffrey Norman. "This is something of a trauma on their end. But also it's traumatizing to our community because there are individuals in our community who deserve to be able to live safely without worry about firearms, especially in this situation."
The department's homicide unit is investigating the incident.
