After the incident, Nikolas Zens was fired after a 20-day unpaid suspension, but he was not criminally charged.
Milwaukee police officer Nikolas Zens accidentally shot a bystander, newly released bodycam footage shows.
In 2019, police were chasing a suspect on foot after he allegedly ran from a traffic stop.
Tari Davis says he was watching a movie at home when he heard the commotion and went to the back door. The suspect had run to Davis’ home.
Court documents say Officer Zens thought the suspect was armed and fired one bullet — into the wrong person.
Davis’ daughters and girlfriend could be heard screaming while police handcuff the bleeding man.
Officer Nikolas Zens was fired after a 20-day unpaid suspension, but he was not criminally charged.
The department did not publicly announce Zens’ termination or release the bodycam footage. Davis’ lawyers obtained both.
Davis has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, saying on his website that despite his innocence, he woke up after emergency surgery “chained to a hospital bed with officers looking down” at him.
He added that his 14-year-old daughter was interrogated alone by officers.
Authorities have since released a statement about the case.
"The Milwaukee Police Department declines to comment on this matter as it relates to pending litigation,” they said. “The member engaged in the officer-involved shooting was discharged from the Milwaukee Police Department.”
During an appeal hearing to keep his job, Nikolas Zens expressed his sorrow by saying, "I cannot express enough of my apologies to Mr. Davis, and I hope he can forgive me.”
Though Nikolas Zens has lost his job, Tari Davis believes justice has not been served.
“Everyone must be held accountable for their actions and the damages they inflict — including the police,” He wrote on his website.
