Man shot near Republican convention before Florida senators, governor speaks. What we know

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An out-of-town Columbus police officer shot and killed a man early Thursday afternoon outside the security perimeter for the 2024 Republican National Convention, according to Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9. The officer was working in Milwaukee as part of the heightened security surrounding the RNC.

Several high-profile Florida politicians were in town Tuesday as scheduled evening speakers, including Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Dr. Ben Carson.

The theme for Tuesday's speakers will be "Make America Safe Once Again."

Who was killed in 2024 RNC shooting?

Multiple witnesses told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the man lived in a tent encampment, was known by the nickname "Jehovah" and took care of a pit bull named Isis. Police have not released the man's identity but escorted the dog from the encampment around 2:30 p.m. local time, according to the Sentinel.

Why was someone near the RNC?

Scene of a police involved shooting near North 14th and West Vliet Streets outside of the security perimeter for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024.
Scene of a police involved shooting near North 14th and West Vliet Streets outside of the security perimeter for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024.

Authorities have not yet released details on the shooting. Local news site WISN.com reported that witnesses said two men were fighting in King Park, about a mile from Fiserv Forum, the main RNC venue, and one pulled out a knife.

"The witnesses said the men were startled when so many officers responded," WISN said. Witnesses told WISN that multiple officers fired on the armed man, but the incident has not been officially corroborated.

Several dozen Columbus officers, including the Division of Police's dialogue team, are in Milwaukee, as are officers from 62 other departments in 24 states and Washington, D.C., along with 44 Wisconsin agencies.

Where was someone shot at the RNC?

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the shooting occurred near North 14th and West Vliet streets outside of the security perimeter for the Republican National Convention.

How tight is security at the 2024 RNC?

The U.S. Secret Service on released a map of the security zones for the Republican National Convention during a meeting on Friday, June 21, 2024, in downtown Milwaukee. The convention will be centered at Fiserv Forum, UWM Panther Arena and the Baird Center on July 15-18.
The U.S. Secret Service on released a map of the security zones for the Republican National Convention during a meeting on Friday, June 21, 2024, in downtown Milwaukee. The convention will be centered at Fiserv Forum, UWM Panther Arena and the Baird Center on July 15-18.

The 2024 RNC runs from Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18 at the Fiserv Forum convention site in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with some events taking place at the nearby Baird Center and other local venues.

Security for the convention includes two perimeters. The "hard zone," or the area controlled by the Secret Service that will require credentials to enter, surrounds Fiserv Forum, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center.

Around that is a larger "pedestrian restricted perimeter" that stretches from West McKinley Avenue on the north to just past West Wisconsin Avenue to the south. The area encompasses Pere Marquette Park on the east side and stretches past North James Lovell Street on the west.

According to WISN 12 News sources, the police line has been expanded to 17th and Vliet streets.

Bethany Bruner, Bailey Gallion, Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: RNC convention security shooting by police kills one. What we know