MILWAUKEE— The wife of a Milwaukee police officer who was shot to death while serving a search warrant has revealed she’s pregnant.
Caroline Rittner found out three days after her husband’s funeral that she is going to have a baby, police said on May 7. The girl is expected to arrive in October, joining the son the Rittners had earlier.
“It was met with mixed emotions,” police Lt. Kristin Felsman told WISN-TV. “Extremely joyful emotions because, (it’s) another legacy of Matt, and obviously very sad emotions because Matt would not be there to share in the joy of a new life.”
Caroline Rittner, the widow of fallen Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner, has revealed she is pregnant. https://t.co/hJPL9p8oS2
— FOX6 News (@fox6now) May 8, 2019
Officer Matthew Rittner was killed Feb. 6 while helping serve a search warrant for suspected illegal guns and drugs at a Milwaukee duplex.
The wife of fallen Milwaukee police officer Matthew Rittner learned she was pregnant just 3 days after her husband’s funeral: https://t.co/RQVAboH2jS pic.twitter.com/gJWG7wGaDN
— WLUK-TV FOX 11 (@fox11news) May 8, 2019
Sgt. Roberto Colon told WDJT-TV that the police force will be there for the Rittner family.
“She knows that she can come anytime and knock on our door,” he said. “She doesn’t even have to. We’re going to be there bothering her all the time anyway. She’ll probably have to kick us out of the house most of the time.”
Suspect Jordan Fricke has pleaded not guilty to three charges, including first-degree intentional homicide. He’s scheduled for trial beginning July 8.
Just in: This is the mugshot of 26-year-old Jordan Fricke. He’s accused of firing the shots that killed Officer Matthew Rittner pic.twitter.com/5zY7E1AGmk
— Cassidy Williams (@CassidyWtv) February 7, 2019
Officer Remembered for ‘Extraordinary Life’
Thousands of mourners turned out on Feb. 13 to say goodbye to Rittner who was remembered for living “an extraordinary life.”
The funeral for Rittner, a 17-year veteran of the force, was held at Oak Creek Assembly of God Church in suburban Milwaukee on what would have been Rittner’s 36th birthday. Rittner was killed while serving a search warrant.
“Believe me, it hurts,” Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said. Rittner was the third Milwaukee officer killed in the line of duty in eight months. Before that, the department had gone more than two decades without a similar death. Morales pledged that Milwaukee police will not let the fallen officers “die in vain.”
Mourners spoke of Rittner’s love for his family and the city, and his passion for the Milwaukee Brewers, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. He and his wife, Caroline, were married at Miller Park, the Brewers’ stadium, in 2017.
“Matthew lived an extraordinary life as a son, as a brother, as a husband, as a father, a United States Marine, Milwaukee police officer, and a friend to many, many,” Pastor Jerry Brooks said. Rittner served two tours in Iraq.
Rittner’s fellow officers stood in silence, their heads bowed, by his flag-draped casket as the funeral began.
“We sit here with heavy hearts, trying to make sense of this. I can tell you this. It doesn’t make sense. It is not right,” said Milwaukee Police Lt. Derrick Harris, commander of the specialized patrol division.
But mourners also remembered Rittner’s laugh, which echoed through the church on a recording played by his former partner, Officer Matt Murray.
“This was the guy you wanted to show up when your family was in trouble,” Milwaukee Police Chaplain George Papachristou recalled one officer saying of Rittner
Morales recalled rushing to the Rittner family home after the officer’s death. He hugged Rittner’s wife and then saw a 100-pound pit bull coming at him—it was the officer’s dog, one he rescued while serving a search warrant.
“He was abandoned in the basement of a house,” Morales said of the dog.
Rittner leaves behind his wife, a young son and extended family.
