Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

2 More Wounded Officers Sue Milwaukee Gun Shop

The new case, brought by Officer Jose Lopez and former officer Alejandro Arce, alleges that owners of Badger Guns negligently sold the gun used to wound them in 2007.

May 10, 2016
2 min to read


Just months after two wounded Milwaukee police officers won a landmark liability case against a Milwaukee gun dealer, a second trial against the same store is set to begin. This one involves two different injured officers.

Starting May 16, Badger Guns and its predecessor, Badger Outdoors, and their sales practices will again be under scrutiny in the fourth-floor courtroom of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John DiMotto.

Ad Loading...

The new case, brought by Officer Jose Lopez and former officer Alejandro Arce, alleges that owners of Badger Guns negligently sold the gun used to wound them in 2007.

The trial is scheduled to last up to three weeks, the Journal-Sentinel reports.

In October, a jury ruled in favor of Officer Bryan Norberg and former officer Graham Kunisch, awarding them nearly $6 million in health care costs and lost wages, pain and suffering and punitive damages.

Shortly after the verdict, Kunisch and Norberg settled the case for $1 million, avoiding what likely would have been a yearslong appeal process.

Kunisch, Norberg, Arce and Lopez were among six police officers wounded over a 20-month period with guns sold by Badger Guns or its predecessor, Badger Outdoors. The other two officers did not sue.

Ad Loading...

In the case now heading for trial, Lopez and Arce were shot by Victor Veloz, then 15, in November 2007. Veloz was using a gun purchased and provided to him by 24-year-old Jose Fernandez. That gun and another were purchased by Fernandez just weeks earlier.

On Oct. 16, 2007, Fernandez bought a Masterpiece Arms 9mm rifle with a flash suppressor and two 30-round magazines. Eight days later, Fernandez returned to the store returned and bought a Taurus 9mm handgun.

Fernandez had been convicted of drug possession. It is against the law to sell a gun to a drug user. The complaint alleges that Badger Gun employees should have known that. It also says the sales just days apart should have been a red flag that it was a straw purchase.

More Patrol

POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips video series graphic featuring a Garmont Tactical Contact Collection duty boot against a police vehicle with flashing lights. Includes “Watch Now” callout for the video series.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 9, 2026

Garmont Tactical Contact Collection: New Duty Boots for Law Enforcement

Choosing the right duty boot can make a significant difference during long shifts. In this video overview, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, introduces the new Contact Collection, designed specifically for law enforcement professionals seeking comfort, traction, and durability.

Read More →
Benchmade Bailout folding knife with a bronze tanto blade, taiga green handle, and orange accents displayed open against a textured black background, highlighting its lightweight tactical design.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Benchmade Launches Taiga Green Bailout

Benchmade has launched its Taiga Green Bailout, which features an anodized aluminum handle, S90V stainless steel, and Burnt Copper hardware accents.

Read More →
Composite image of ADEPT's Nova Titanium tactical helmet, showing front and side views alongside a soldier wearing the helmet in the field, highlighting lightweight ballistic protection for military and tactical applications.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Adept Armor Launches the Nova Titanium Combat Helmet: A Metal Ballistic Helmet at Composite-Helmet Weight

Adept Armor said its new Nova Titanium combat helmet delivers rated 9mm protection at 920 grams all-in, low backface deformation, edge-to-edge coverage, and an indefinite shelf life at roughly a quarter the price of premium polyethylene helmets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two healthcare professionals model 5.11 medical scrubs—one in gray and one in blue—against a blurred hospital background, highlighting the brand’s professional apparel for medical workers.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

5.11 Expands Professional Services Line with Premium, Performance-Driven Scrubs Designed for Healthcare Professionals

The launch of high-performance medical scrubs marks another major expansion of 5.11’s growing Professional Services category, enabling hospitals and healthcare systems to outfit a wide range of roles.

Read More →
Close-up of a black SOG Seal FX knife featuring a commemorative 250th anniversary engraving on the blade, displayed on an American flag to honor the United States' semiquincentennial.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

SOG Knives Unveils 250th Anniversary Limited Edition Fixed Blade

SOG Knives has debuted its 250th Anniversary Limited Edition SEAL FX Fixed Blade, and only 250 are available. It features an advanced 4.3-inch S35VN steel blade and a tough glass-reinforced nylon handle.

Read More →
Close-up of a slim black Streamlight Wedge SL flashlight resting on an olive tactical vest with a black-and-gray American flag patch, its LED illuminated to showcase the compact everyday carry design.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJune 25, 2026

POLICE Product Test: Streamlight Wedge SL

The Streamlight Wedge SL is a high-performance light for inspection or administrative tasks that features USB-C charging and an output up to 500 lumens in a compact package.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic recognizing Officer Michael Jaycox of the San Jose (CA) Police Department as Officer of the Month for May 2026, featuring his uniformed portrait beside a badge-and-rose emblem.
PatrolJune 25, 2026

NLEOMF Officer of the Month Saved Child from Burning Vehicle

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund named Officer Michael Jaycox of the San Jose Police Department (California) as the Officer of the Month for May 2026. Read more about Jaycox’s heroic actions.

Read More →
Promotional image for Garmont Tactical’s Contact Collection featuring black tactical boots displayed in front of a police vehicle with flashing red and blue emergency lights. Text announces the new collection and notes it is now available.
PatrolJune 24, 2026

Garmont Tactical Introduces the Contact Collection for LE

Garmont Tactical has launched its Contact Collection, a new lineup of law-enforcement duty boots featuring 4-inch and 6-inch options, including waterproof models.

Read More →
Graphic celebrating 1,613 Folds of Honor graduates, featuring graduation books, a diploma, a mortarboard cap, the Folds of Honor logo, and an inset photo of a graduate standing in front of a campus building.
PatrolJune 11, 2026

Folds of Honor Celebrates Graduation Season as 1,613 Military and First Responder Family Scholars Earn Their Degrees

Every Folds of Honor scholar graduating in the Class of 2026 carries a story starting with sacrifice. Folds of Honor ensures it doesn’t end there. Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 73,000 educational scholarships to military and first responder families.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic for a POLICE Magazine article on Tennessee’s new deadly force law, featuring Lady Justice, handcuffs, a Tennessee map with Nashville highlighted, and the headline “Impact of New Deadly Force Law.”
Patrolby David StephensJune 4, 2026

Why Tennessee’s New Deadly Force Law Matters Beyond Tennessee

Tennessee’s new deadly force law is more limited than many may realize. Effective July 1, 2026, the law applies to a person who is not engaged in conduct that would constitute a felony or a Class A misdemeanor and who is in a place where the person lawfully resides. But it could have far-reaching influence.

Read More →