Chief Edward Flynn says he has fired Officer Christopher Manney for patting-down Dontre Hamilton, who suffered from a mental illness.
Workers at a coffee shop in Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee had called police about Hamilton sleeping on a park bench, this past April 30.
The first two officers who checked on him, left without taking action, determining he posed no threat.
When Manney arrived, he pat-down Hamilton, which his family says may have made him fearful.
Hamilton reportedly began struggling with the officer, who eventually fired 14 shots at the 31-year-old, killing him. The officer has been on paid leave, ever since.
Flynn says Manney's firing has nothing to do with whether he committed a crime but everything to do with ignoring his training.
“When you are approaching a mentally ill person who is not being engaged in violent behavior or criminal behavior, there’s a set of trainings and approaches that you are taught. You don’t go hands on and start frisking somebody only because they appear to be mentally ill,” Flynn said.
Flynn blamed Manney for creating the situation where deadly forced had to be used.
The killing has prompted protests in Milwaukee and calls for the DA to charge Manney with a crime. The DA continues investigating the incident.
The Milwaukee Police union calls the firing, "cowardice."