Murder suspect: I didn’t know it was police officer

A man who was charged Sunday with killing a Milwaukee police officer during a drug raid on his home told investigators that he didn’t realize it was police trying to break down his door, authorities said.

Jordan P. Fricke, 26, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other crimes in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Matthew Rittner, a 17-year veteran of the force who was part of a tactical unit trying to serve a warrant to search the home for illegal drugs and weapons on Wednesday morning.

According to the criminal complaint, police announced their presence several times and said they had a search warrant. An officer yelled “police” right before Fricke fired four rounds through a hole in the door that Rittner had made with a battering ram, the complaint said. Rittner died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Fricke was in bed with his girlfriend when they were awakened by loud noise and yelling. He told investigators that he never heard anyone yell “search warrant.” He said he thought he heard someone say “police” but didn’t think it was actually the police trying to break into his home, the complaint states.

A $1 million cash bond was set Sunday for Fricke, who remained in jail. A preliminary hearing was set for Thursday. Rittner’s funeral is scheduled for Wednesday in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Walter B. Jones Jr. of North Carolina, a oncefervent supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq who later became an outspoken Republican critic of the war, died on his birthday at age 76, the congressman's office confirmed in a statement.

Jones, whose health had declined in recent months, entered hospice care in January after breaking his hip. He had been granted a leave of absence from Congress in late 2018. He had served in the House since 1995 and had already announced his 2018 campaign would be his last.