Man Fatally Shot by Visiting Police Officers Near R.N.C., Official Says

A man was shot and killed by police officers in a residential neighborhood in Milwaukee, about a mile from the Republican National Convention, an official who had been briefed on the situation said.

The officers were from the Columbus, Ohio, police department, part of a contingent of 4,500 officers from other municipalities who came to Milwaukee to assist local authorities in securing the city during the convention, the official said.

The police officers were riding bicycles on patrol and encountered the man armed with a knife, the official said. At least three officers fired shots after the man turned toward them with the knife, the official said.

The shooting occurred in the King Park neighborhood, near a Milwaukee County social services building, a community center and a correctional facility.

Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, confirmed that her office responded to the area after the death. An autopsy will be performed on Wednesday, she said.

Alexi Worley, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Secret Service, declined to comment, saying that the shooting occurred outside of the security perimeter and that it was under the jurisdiction of local police.

The Republican convention began in Milwaukee on Monday, drawing some 50,000 people from across the country to nominate former President Donald J. Trump for the presidency.

On Tuesday afternoon, police officers had cordoned off the area of the shooting to onlookers and news media.

Christina Kugler, 37, and Mark Walker, 49, said they lived in a homeless encampment where the fatally shot man also lived. Mr. Walker said he did not know why his friend was shot.

“He stays to himself,” he said, adding that he heard about seven shots.

Milwaukee has long struggled with violent crime, though homicides in the city have been declining recently. The city reported 172 criminal homicides last year, down from 215 in 2022. So far this year, Milwaukee is on pace to have 19 percent fewer homicides than it did in 2023 and 41 percent fewer homicides than it did in 2022.

Robert Chiarito and Mitch Smith contributed reporting.