Contact: Rep. David Bowen
(608) 266-7671
MILWAUKEE – Last May, Adam Trammell, an unarmed 22 year old man suffering from mental illness, was killed inside his apartment by West Milwaukee police using 15-18 electrical shocks from tasers as he showered. Last Friday it was reported that the officers would not face charges in Mr. Trammell’s death on top of no disciplinary action in their department. Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) issued the following statement:
“Police violence is at an epidemic level in our country, and the victims are disproportionately people of color and those suffering from mental illness, who are up to 16 times more likely to be killed by police. It is unconscionable that a wellness check on a young Bi-racial man struggling with mental illness resulted in anything other than care by mental health professionals, let alone his very preventable death.
“As yet another family grieves the loss of an unarmed loved one with no accountability from those responsible, it couldn’t be more clear that the training officers receive and the checks and balances that should be holding them accountable are painfully inadequate. The decision by the DA and the Police Chief to allow excessive force is completely wrong and sends the wrong message to upstanding officers and communities across Wisconsin and the nation.”
