PO Peter Jerving

Officer: Milwaukee Police Department, Police Officer Peter E. C. Jerving

Date: 2/7/2023            Location: Milwaukee, WI       FACTORS (1,2,9,12,13,14,15,21) 5?

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Terrell I. Thompson

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Thompson committed 2 separate hit and run misdemeanors in 2021 and had a temporary restraining order put against him after he threatened to kill a girlfriend. / Yes, Thompson was a suspect in a robbery that just occurred, he was violating the terms of his probation and unlawfully possessed a firearm.

Mental Illness: None stated, but the suspect possibly committed suicide.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/19

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 1:16 a.m. on February 7th, 2023, Milwaukee police officers responded to an intersection looking for a suspect involved in a robbery a few hours earlier on February 6th at approximately 11:26 p.m. Once there, officers observed a man, Terrell Thompson, in the area and ordered him to surrender.

Actions taken by subject toward police: Thompson ignored the officers commands and took off running. When an officer caught up to Thompson and tried to gain control over him, Thompson accessed a concealed gun and shot it several times, striking the approaching Officer Jerving.

Reactions by the police: Though fatally wounded from the gunshot, Officer Jerving returned fire at Thompson. Thompson died from a gunshot wound but it remains unknown if it was from suicide or Officer Jerving’s duty weapon.

How murdered? Officer Jerving was fatally shot when chasing a robbery suspect.

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? The officers bravely chased down a robbery suspect in the dark of night and it appears they did not see him possessing a weapon until catching up to him and struggling with him.  

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Given that Thompson was suspected to be involved in a robbery and was non-compliant, officers would have been justified to use deadly force if they saw him make a furtive motion toward his waist or into a pocket. However, since Thompson is a black male that would likely cause the officers to hesitate for fear of being labeled a racist killer if they were wrong.  

Outcome for the cop-killer: Thompson was shot dead – either by his own hand or by Officer Jerving justifiably returning fire.

Miscellaneous: Earlier the day before of this shooting, Thompson was in court where a judge heeded the prosecutors recommendation and sentenced Thompson to twelve months’ probation instead of four months in jail for his plea of guilty to misdemeanor hit and run charges.

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PO Sean Sluganski