By Miela Fetaw
Miela Fetaw
The police officer who shot and killed 23-year-old Sylville Smith in the Sherman Park neighborhood in August has been arrested for sexual assault, police said Thursday.
Sexual assault allegations against Dominique Heaggan-Brown reportedly emerged Aug. 15, two days after the death of Smith. They were made public by police on October 20.
Online court records show Heaggan-Brown was charged with two counts of felony second-degree sexual assault with an intoxicated victim, two misdemeanor counts of prostitution, and one felony count of “capture an intimate representation.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 27. At an initial appearance on October 20, a no contact order was filed, demanding that Heaggan-Brown “have no contact with AV (ADULT VICTIM) 1-4, absolute sobriety and NO weapons,” court records said. Bail was set at $100,000, and Heaggan-Brown was ordered to comply with electronic monitoring and a 24-hour curfew.
Heaggan-Brown was arrested Wednesday after criminal charges were filed against him earlier in the day.
According to the police statement, a victim reported to police that he had been sexually assaulted by Heaggan-Brown while off-duty. An internal investigation was conducted and reveal additional allegations, resulting in added charges.
“On the evening of October 19, members of Milwaukee Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division arrested Milwaukee Police Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown after criminal charges were filed against him earlier in the day,” the police statement says.
“On August 15, a victim reported to Milwaukee Police he had been sexually assaulted by Heaggan-Brown while off-duty. This investigation, conducted by MPD’s Internal Affairs Division and Sensitive Crimes Division, resulted in the October 19 criminal complaint filed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. MPD’s investigation revealed additional allegations, resulting in added charges.”
Heaggan-Brown remains in-custody and has been suspended from the police department. Chief Flynn is expected to follow up with media later Thursday.
The counts are unrelated to the shooting, which remains under investigation by the District Attorney’s office.
The state Department of Justice conducted an investigation into the shooting and gave the results to Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm’s office, which continues to review it. There is no timetable for a charging decision in that case or when body camera footage will be made public.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel has acknowledged that two body cameras captured the shooting, which authorities say footage shows Smith holding a gun. Police said Heaggan-Brown shot Smith after fleeing from a traffic stop when he refused orders to drop the gun.
According to the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office, an autopsy showed Smith suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and one gunshot wound to the right arm.
Chief Flynn and Mayor Tom Barrett confirmed body camera footage reveals Smith was armed and turning toward Heaggan-Brown who then opened fire.
The fatal shooting set off two nights of uprising and unrest in the Sherman Park neighborhood. Eight businesses were burned, at least six squad cars were damaged, at least four officers were injured and one teenager was shot in the neck and survived.
The Smith family chose to not comment. There will be a prayer circle by Smith’s memorial at 6 p.m. Thursday.
