Randy Ashland, the 58-year-old armed Milwaukee man who was shot and killed by police in Waukesha, Wisconsin in a hospital parking lot, was remembered by his family as an amazing carpenter with a “really good heart.”
The latter comment was given to Heavy by Ashland’s son Brad, who said the family didn’t want to comment further. The former comment comes from an obituary for Ashland. Police in Waukesha, Wisconsin, said previously that, when they shot and killed the man, he was armed with a handgun in the parking lot of ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital near the emergency room. Police say it appeared he had initially gone to the hospital for “treatment.” They say that he pointed the weapon at officers.
Police formally released Ashland’s name on April 27 in a news release. “The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team (MAIT) with Wauwatosa PD as the lead agency, at the request of the City of Waukesha Police Department, has been leading the investigation of an officer-involved death (OID) that took place in the early morning hours on April 15th, 2020 in the parking lot of Waukesha Memorial Hospital,” the news release says. Read the police press release here: 04-15-20 UPDATE – OIS at Waukesha Memorial Hospital
“The decedent received medical treatment immediately at the hospital; however, he was pronounced dead. The decedent has been identified as: Randy S. Ashland.” Police have said the shooting was not COVID-19 related but have released no details about what kind of treatment Ashland was seeking.
Here’s what you need to know:
Police Released a Statement From Ashland’s Family Calling Him a ‘Loving Man & Good Father’
The police news release states that “preliminary results of that autopsy confirm that Mr. Ashland’s death is the result of firearm related trauma. Additional testing is underway at this time.”
The police included a statement from Ashland’s family in the release, writing, “The family of Mr. Ashland asks for all to respect their privacy during this process. Ashland’s son states, ‘My father was a loving man and good father.’ The families (sic) thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this traumatic event.”
After shooting the man, officers brought Ashland into the emergency room, but it was too late, and he died at the scene.
A woman wrote on Facebook, “Oh my Randy is such a kind soul we will miss him.”
Ashland Was a Church Volunteer Who Loved Nature, Photography & Carpentry
According to his obituary, Randy Steven Ashland of Milwaukee “went to be with our Lord at the age of 58 on April 15, 2020. He was born in Milwaukee and resided there most of his life.”
The obit says that he left behind three sons, three grandchildren, his father and stepmother, two brothers, and a former wife.
“Randy was a member of Brookside Baptist Church and had many brothers and sisters in Christ. He loved his church with all of his heart and volunteered much of his time there,” says the obit.
“Randy was passionate about many things throughout his life. He would go hunting and fishing any chance he got but enjoyed it most with his sons.”
In addition, he enjoyed the outdoors. “He really loved all of nature’s beauty and was so proud of the great photos he captured with his camera,” the obit says. “He was an amazing carpenter and could build anything you could think of. Helping others brought him so much joy. No matter what he was doing or where he was, you would always find him singing.”
The services were held privately for the family because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Police Say Ashland Pointed a Gun at Officers Near the Entrance to the Emergency Room
The police shooting unfolded in the early morning hours of April 15, 2020. Police did not say what type of treatment Ashland was seeking. Heavy previously asked the police public information officer whether the man was trying to go to the ER for COVID-19 treatment or something else. “People have asked if this is COVID-19 related and this is not,” Waukesha police Capt. Dan Baumann told Heavy. “Given our current environment there will be some delays in getting information out in the public domain as the health and well-being of all is paramount.” He added that “information is still being investigated.”
Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a suburban city located a few miles from Milwaukee.
Police said that they initially responded on Wednesday, April 15, at approximately 1:30 a.m. to Waukesha Memorial Hospital, 725 American Ave., “for a report of a man with a gun in the parking lot.”
The Waukesha police press release describes a tense confrontation outside the emergency room between responding officers and Ashland.
“Officers located a suspect armed with a handgun near the entrance to the Emergency Room. Hospital security began to initiate their lockdown protocols as officers made contact,” the release said. It continued:
Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by engaging in dialogue with the suspect. The initial information that officers had was that the suspect was at the Emergency Room for treatment. Additional law enforcement agencies responded to assist.
The officers utilized crisis intervention techniques and repeatedly asked the suspect to drop the gun, but he continued to ignore their requests. During the dialogue, the suspect’s behavior changed, and he suddenly pointed the gun at officers. Based on this imminent threat officers were forced to discharge their firearms striking the suspect. Officers immediately provided medical attention to the suspect by bringing the suspect into the Emergency Room.
Police say a firearm was recovered on scene. “The involved officers’ experience ranges from three to twelve years on the Police Department. No officers or other personnel were injured during this incident,” the release added. Police have not released the officers’ names.
The release continued:
The suspect is deceased. We are not looking for any other persons of interest. The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, with the City of Wauwatosa Police Department as the Lead Agency, is conducting the investigation. In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation and respect the judicial process, we will not be responding to any questions at this time. More details will be released as the investigation moves forward.
Initial information shows that the officers acted within state statutes and department policy, and fulfilled the Mission of the Waukesha Police Department, ‘A Pledge to Serve with Integrity, Honor and Courage.’
You can learn more about the Waukesha Police Department here. You can learn more about ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital here. It’s the major hospital located in the City of Waukesha.
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