Nationwide — Kendall Corder, an African American police officer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has sadly passed away after being shot while responding to a domestic violence call. He and his partner were ambushed on duty, and Corder died 3 days later in the hospital.
On the night of June 26, Officer Corder and his fellow officer, Christopher McCray, responded to a report of a suspect with a gun near 25th and Garfield. As they exited their squad car, gunfire erupted from a nearby alley. Both officers were hit before they could return fire.
According to Fox 6 Now, Corder was critically wounded, with multiple gunshot injuries, including one that struck his chest and severely damaged his heart. McCray, 29, was also shot in his back and foot and was released from the hospital the next day. Both were taken to Froedtert Hospital, a Level I trauma center.
The suspected gunman, 22-year-old Tremaine Jones, was arrested early the next morning without incident. He is being held in the Milwaukee County Jail but has not yet been charged. Court records show Jones has a prior conviction involving a stolen car and had received a deferred prosecution agreement.
Meanwhile, Corder had served with the Milwaukee Police Department for more than six years. Both MPD and the Milwaukee Police Association praised his courage and commitment, saying he showed up each day ready to protect the city despite the risks.
His death marks the fourth time a Milwaukee officer has been shot in the line of duty in the past five months — three of those happened in just two weeks. The department has asked the community to grieve with them as they honor Corder’s legacy.