Milwaukee man faces multiple felony charges after ramming police vehicles during Brookfield drug operation
A 19-year-old Milwaukee man is facing multiple felony charges after attempting to escape a drug sting operation by ramming police vehicles in a Brookfield hotel parking lot last Thursday afternoon.
Alex Cook Bey was arrested following the incident at the Brookfield Sheraton, located at 375 South Moorland Road in a commercial area near Interstate 94. Drone and bodycam footage captured the chaotic scene as officers from the Brookfield Police Department, which serves approximately 39,252 residents with a force of 65 officers, surrounded Cook Bey's black Mercedes.
The video shows Cook Bey driving into multiple squad cars before officers pinned his vehicle to prevent his escape. Officers quickly surrounded the Mercedes with tasers and guns drawn, concerned the suspect could be armed. Vehicle-related incidents pose significant risks to law enforcement—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 22% of crashes involving police officers in the first quarter of 2022 involved an officer being struck by a vehicle, making traffic crashes a leading cause of police officer injuries and fatalities nationwide.
"Hands up! Hands up! Put your hands up! Hands, put your hands up! You're under arrest. Hey! Stop moving! Stop moving! Stop moving, put your hands up!"
officers shouted as they approached the vehicle.
"All right, I got hands, guys, drop lethal. I got hands, drop lethal. Clear the car, clear the car,"
one officer said.
"I got nothing. I got nothing. I got nothing,"
Cook Bey responded.
"How you doing, AJ?"
an officer asked.
"I'm not AJ, bro,"
Cook Bey replied.
Charges and potential penalties
Prosecutors have charged Cook Bey with five counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety for putting officers at risk during the incident. Under Wisconsin law, each count is a Class F felony carrying potential penalties of up to 12 years and 6 months in prison and fines of up to $25,000. Cook Bey also faces charges for possession of 19 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. Wisconsin penalties for cocaine possession with intent to sell range from $25,000 to $100,000 in fines and 12.5 to 40 years in prison, depending on the amount involved. Additionally, drug convictions in Wisconsin carry mandatory suspension of driving privileges for at least six months and up to five years from the date of the violation.
Growing concern for law enforcement
The deliberate ramming of police vehicles represents a growing concern for law enforcement. Recent data from the United Kingdom shows 244 police officers reported injuries in 2024 after incidents where police vehicles were deliberately rammed, up from 219 in 2023 and 200 in 2022.
Four police vehicles sustained damage during the arrest, though no officers were injured. Cook Bey remains in custody on $50,000 cash bail.
