An 18-year-old Wisconsin man is facing a severe 10-count felony indictment after Milwaukee law enforcement authorities say he opened fire with a handgun into a crowded downtown parking lot and subsequently struck a police officer with his vehicle during a high-speed getaway attempt on Fourth of July weekend.
According to official criminal complaints filed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and detailed by FOX6 News Milwaukee, officers were conducting routine crowd control patrols around 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, July 5, 2026, near the city's Water Street entertainment district. Witnesses reported seeing 18-year-old Hunter Meyer, of Rothschild, driving a black 2015 Audi S6 in circles near Edison and Knapp streets while discharging multiple gunshots toward a surrounding crowd.
When foot-patrol officers converged on the vehicle and issued lawful verbal commands to stop, Meyer allegedly accelerated recklessly through the parking lot, nearly hitting several bystanders and striking a 25-year-old female police officer.
As detailed in official court documents and news summaries published by Urban Milwaukee:
"Officers saw the black Audi still in the parking lot and gave the driver, later identified as Hunter Meyer, lawful commands to stop and get out of the vehicle. Meyer did not follow those commands and recklessly sped away from the scene, nearly striking multiple officers and striking one officer, who sustained non-fatal injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment."\
Three responding officers discharged their service weapons toward the fleeing sedan as it accelerated out of the lot. Meyer drove approximately one mile before crashing into another vehicle near Fond du Lac Avenue and Walnut Street, where he abandoned the Audi and attempted to flee on foot. Officers apprehended him a short distance away and discovered he had sustained gunshot wounds during the tactical pursuit.
Initial confirmations and primary video updates from the investigation were distributed via the Facts Dude Intelligence Update on X, sourced directly from footage released by the Milwaukee Police Department and public intake court filings.
During subsequent interrogation by detectives, Meyer explained that the confrontation erupted after he and his companions were ejected from Summerfest earlier in the night for wearing balaclava masks and being rowdy. Meyer stated they drove to Water Street and encountered a rival group he referred to as "ops," leading to a heated argument where members of both groups reached for concealed firearms. According to the criminal complaint, Meyer offered his own perspective regarding the exact moment his vehicle struck the female officer:
"And then I accidentally…not accidentally. I just like go through 'em, and I accidentally hit this one lady police officer in the foot apparently."
Court records confirm that Meyer faces a total of ten criminal counts, including first-degree recklessly endangering safety, hit-and-run causing injury, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, carrying a concealed weapon, and fleeing an officer. If convicted on all charges in Milwaukee County court, he faces a maximum potential sentence of up to 82 years and 3 months in state prison alongside $205,000 in fines.
While law enforcement and prosecutors portray the incident as a clear-cut act of reckless violence, defense advocates and legal analysts caution against ignoring the chaotic environment that drove the escalation. According to statements recorded in court filings, Meyer maintained that he did not set out to target police, claiming he panicked after hearing external gunfire and reacted impulsively when an officer drew a firearm as he attempted to leave the lot. Furthermore, with multiple officers simultaneously opening fire into a moving vehicle, questions arise regarding whether the driver's sudden acceleration was an intentional weaponization of the car or an involuntary reflex under immediate lethal fire. Defense counsel noted that Meyer has no prior adult criminal record, emphasizing that he is constitutionally presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt as full ballistic and video evidence is reviewed.
THE QUICK BREAKDOWN
- The Defendant: 18-year-old Hunter Meyer of Rothschild, Wisconsin.
- The Location: Water Street entertainment district in downtown Milwaukee.
- Primary Source & Video Attribution: Reported via FOX6 News Milwaukee and shared on the Facts Dude Update on X.
- The Charges: 10 criminal counts including 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety and Hit-and-Run Causing Injury.
- Potential Penalty: Up to 82 years and 3 months in state prison.