MILWAUKEE (WISN)—Armed, masked men stormed a Walgreens on Wednesday morning, and police were already hot on their trail.
Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said District 7 officers assigned to an anti-robbery detail responded to the Walgreens at 5707 W. Hampton Ave. and observed two men enter the store, masked and hooded, while a third man waited outside in an idling car.
Flynn said an officer took the man outside the building into custody.
"A plain-clothed Milwaukee police officer, aged 57 with 22 years on the job, fired one round, striking the suspect," Flynn said.
The man was taken to Froedtert Hospital with what were described as serious injuries. As of 5 p.m., police said he was still being treated. No one else was hurt.
“All of a sudden, we heard a big boom. We thought it was a balloon that busted,” witness Albert Brooks said.
Brooks was caring for his granddaughter and realizing a robbery was underway, hid with her behind the pharmacy counter.
Flynn said a firearm was found at the scene.
The 57-year-old officer is on administrative duty while the state Department of Justice investigates the shooting.
Flynn said another Walgreens robbery at 76th Street and Mill Road occurred prior to the Fond du Lac Avenue robbery. It's not known if they were connected.
Police said there has been a rash of armed robberies at pharmacies in the last four months.
Flynn said it's become "a fashionable crime" to steal prescription drugs. He said officers have arrested a number of crews already.