Nov 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.11

GUEST COMENTARYpolice

GUEST COMENTARYpolice law newsDaniel CarrOFFICER INVOLVED:Elijah WilksTHIS. NEVER. HAPPENS.This fatal Officer-Involved-Shooting(OIS) consistsof a set of circumstances that Iam confident will NEVER happenagain in American policing.*You’ll want to remember thisone.WHAT HAPPENEDOn 10/9/25 an off-duty Milwaukeepolice officer was drivinginto work when he was involvedin a minor fender-bender. Theofficer was in an unmarked vehicleand plain clothes.The collision occurred whenthe other driver (Elijah Wilks)merged into the officer’s lane ina unsafe manner - causing thecrash.The officer and Elijah pulledover and Elijah immediately exitedhis vehicle and approachedthe officer’s car - pointing at thedamage. Two men discussed theincident and the officer walkedin front of his vehicle, to thepassenger side, and stood on thecurb. Elijah followed behind theofficer.USE OF FORCEAfter a few moments Elijahbrandished a handgun and withoutwarning pistol-whipped theofficer - striking him in the face.Elijah then took a few steps backand pointed the weapon at theofficer.The officer responded by firingmultiple rounds at Elijah.Elijah dove for cover behindhis car and the two men exchangedgunfire on the street.Thankfully, the officer won thegunfight.The officer was uninjured andElijah sustained fatal injuries.The Wilks Family ResponseIn the aftermath of the (officer-involvedshooting) OIS theWilks family was told that:• Elijah was involved in a minorvehicle collision.• With an off-duty police officer.CLICK TO WATCH• Elijah “pistol-whipped” theofficer.• The officer fired his weapon inself-defense.The Wilks family was skepticalabout this “police narrative” andcould not believe that these werethe real series of events that ledto the death of Elijah. The familyexpressed their concerns duringa series of media interviews.However, within a few days ofthe OIS, the family (and their attorney)was allowed to view thedash cam video…which depictedexactly what the police officialshad said. Later that day the familypublicly admitted that it wasa “justified” use of deadly force22 The BLUES NOVEMBER ‘25

and proclaimed that the officer“followed his training”.That never happens. No matterhow justified.Think about this…The realization that…if thiswasn’t a trained off-duty policeofficer. Elijah would have beencompletely good with murderinga random person over aminor traffic crash.The surprise for Elijah wasthat he was not terrorizing justanyone. Not only was this a policeofficer…but, a twenty-yearlaw enforcement veteran whoalso is also a Firearms Instructor.*Elijah thought he was threateningPaul Blart and instead gotJason Bourne.FINAL THOUGHTSThis is what we need more of:transparency from the policedepartment and honesty fromthe involved family.OPERATION BLUE SANTADONATE TODAY TO BLUE SANTAFUNDRAISER IN GALVESTON COUNTYCLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATIONThe BLUES - NOVEMBER ‘25 23