More security on Water Street?

Two people were shot and killed in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday and a private security company is now pushing for change.

MILWAUKEE – After a deadly night in downtown Milwaukee last weekend, a private security company is pushing for change.

What we know:

Two people were shot and killed on Saturday, and three others were injured. At least three storefronts on Water Street were left riddled with bullet holes.

Scene near Water and Michigan, Milwaukee

It happened just after midnight near Water and Michigan.

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A 24-year-old was arrested. The Milwaukee Police Department still hasn’t said what led up to the shooting.

What they’re saying:

Charles Garrison was visiting Milwaukee from North Carolina when he stumbled upon the unexpected.

“I was just about to go into the art museum and there is obviously bullet holes – that’s a little uncomfortable I guess you could say,” Garrison said. “It’s not something you want to see. Especially in such a populated area. I think that’s the freakiest part.”

Theron Rogers was working security a block away when he heard at least 10 shots. He is the co-owner of Prolific Arms, a West Allis-based private security company that works for businesses on Water Street.

“I was able to lock down those doors to keep those patrons inside and safe,” Rogers said. “For us, it was a reminder of the importance to be able to have and utilize that training.”

They are trained to de-escalate situations, with patrol cars outside bars, and security guards both inside and outside.

But they can only do so much.

“We’re not police. We can’t arrest anybody,” Prolific Arms co-owner Eddie Silas said. “Our job is to de-escalate situations and the police is something similar as far as the de-escalation, but a police presence, I think, deters situations right from the beginning.”

Dig deeper:

The company and the bar owners who hired them are pushing for more resources, like police patrols.

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After the shooting, Prolific Arms scheduled de-escalation training for both bar owners and their teams.

“Our goal is just to be proactive before it becomes a problem,” Silas said.

What’s next:

When asked about adding more police patrols, the MPD Assistant Police Chief said they are working on a plan but did not elaborate.