One shot in second night of Milwaukee violence

Following an evening of peaceful vigils, Wisconsin police said tensions rose again on Sunday after shots were fired and objects were thrown by some protesters.

One person was shot in the riots. Police rushed the victim to hospital after retrieving them from the crowd of around 100 people, using an armored vehicle. It was not immediately clear whether the person was a protester, police officer or bystander.

Earlier on Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard to assist with potential riots if necessary. The reserve military force would be "in a position to aid local law enforcement upon request," Walker said.

Arson and arrests

The violence on Sunday marked the second night of protests since the death of Sylville K. Smith. The 23-year-old black man was shot on Saturday as he tried to flee from a police officer who had stopped his car.

Just hours after Smith's death, violence broke out on the streets in the impoverished Sherman Park neighborhood in Milwaukee's predominantly black north side. At least four businesses were burned down and one police officer was hurt. Several cars were also reportedly set on fire and three of the protesters were arrested.

Governor Walker said on Sunday that he was keen for the bodycam video of the shooting to be released to the public, as long as it didn't hinder the ongoing investigation.

In an interview with WISN TV, the Republican said that transparency could help calm the situation.

'Black lives matter'

Police violence against African Americans has sparked protests in many US cities over the past two years, with outrage over the killings giving rise to the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

The anger in Milwaukee at city police is not new and comes as tensions between black communities and law enforcement has ramped up across the nation, resulting in protests and the recent ambush killings of eight officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Dallas.

Alderman Khalif Rainey, an elected official who represents the Milwaukee neighborhood that erupted, said the city's black residents are "tired of living under this oppression."

"Now this is a warning cry. Where do we go from here? Where do we go as a community from here?" he asked.

Milwaukee has seen its share of protests before, after an officer fatally shot Dontre Hamilton, a mentally ill black man, in 2014. Calls for a review of police practices are also growing in the midwestern city, as the latest shooting is already being regarded a repeat incident.

ksb/se (AP, Reuters)