By Suzie Ziegler
WAUWATOSA, Wis. — The Wauwatosa Police Department says that one of their officers was physically assaulted outside his girlfriend’s house Saturday night.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a single shotgun round was fired into his home after a group of 50 to 60 people gathered there. The group of demonstrators were there to protest Officer Joseph Mensah, who fatally shot three suspects over five years.
The group began vandalizing Mensah’s home just after 8 p.m., Wauwatosa Police said in a news release.
Mensah “attempted to establish a dialog but was ultimately physically assaulted,” the release said.
As Mensah went inside, “armed protesters approached the rear door and a single shotgun round was discharged by a member of the group into Officer Mensah’s backdoor,” according to the release.
In a Facebook post from his personal account, Mensah said he and his girlfriend were both assaulted, punched and shot at. He said the crowd broke windows and threw toilet paper into the trees.
“Last night, protesters came to my girlfriend’s house while I was there, and tried to kill me. I was unarmed and tried to defend my property and the property of my girlfriend,” Mensah wrote. “Not once did I ever swing back or reciprocate any the hate that was being directed at me.”
Mensah, who is Black, called the situation ‘ironic.’
“They chanted Black Lives Matter the entire time, but had zero regard for any of the black children that live there or me, a black man,” he continued.
Several agencies responded to the chaos and investigators were on scene until 2:30 a.m., according to the Sentinel.
Police said in a Facebook post the investigation is ongoing.