The Racine County Sheriff’s Office is leading the review after two officers shot a suspect who police say fired at an officer.
KENOSHA, Wis. — An independent investigative team is reviewing a Kenosha police shooting that followed a fatal tavern shooting Sunday night, after authorities said a fleeing homicide suspect fired at an officer and struck a police squad vehicle.
The Kenosha Area Investigative Team is investigating the officers’ use of force, with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office serving as the lead agency. Kenosha police, meanwhile, are conducting a separate homicide investigation into the shooting that killed a 33-year-old Kenosha man inside a bar near 52nd Street and 25th Avenue.
Police said officers responded to the bar Sunday night after receiving a report of shots fired. They found the 33-year-old victim with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead. Authorities have not said what led to the shooting or publicly identified the victim.
Relatives and friends identified the victim in local news reports as Artero “Casper” Medina. A childhood friend described him as a father and a familiar presence in the community. Police had not independently confirmed that identification as of Monday morning.
Authorities said the suspected shooter, a 45-year-old Milwaukee man, fled after the shooting. An officer searching the area encountered the suspect nearby. Police said the suspect fired at the officer, striking the officer’s squad vehicle.
Two Kenosha officers then fired at the man, police said. The suspect was wounded, taken into custody and transported to a hospital. Police said he was in stable condition. No officers suffered significant injuries during the exchange.
The sequence of events produced two connected crime scenes about a block apart. Police remained in the neighborhood for hours overnight while investigators processed the areas around the tavern and the location of the later confrontation. Early reports from the scene described a large law enforcement presence and extensive crime scene tape.
The Kenosha Fire Department initially said its crews had responded to a shooting incident in the area and transported one person to a hospital. As investigators gathered information overnight, police later confirmed that the original incident involved a fatal shooting and that officers had subsequently exchanged gunfire with the suspected shooter.
The two investigations will examine different parts of the night’s events. Kenosha police are responsible for determining what happened inside the bar and the circumstances surrounding the homicide. The outside investigative team is reviewing the encounter involving the officers and the suspect.
Authorities had not released the suspect’s name, announced charges or explained what they believe led to the initial shooting as of Monday morning. Kenosha police planned to give an additional public update later Monday as both investigations continued.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.