Sheriff's deputies arrest man after finding guns, ammunition in shelter along Milwaukee River

Officers arrested a man Wednesday who investigators believe had a shelter along the Milwaukee River containing guns and ammunition.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, along with nearby agencies, responded to a report about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday of shots fired near East Capitol Drive and Estabrook Parkway to find the man as well as two shelters on the west bank of the river, near North Humboldt Boulevard.

Investigators believe the man used both shelters. They recovered guns and ammunition from one of the two shelters, according to the sheriff's office.

Milwaukee Area Technical College owns the land where the shelters were found, according to the sheriff's office. In a statement, an MATC spokeswoman said the secluded, wooded area is not used by students and there was no threat to the campus community.

The college did not know of any unauthorized use of the land, according to MATC. It is used for transmitters and solar panel arrays.

The man was in custody Wednesday. He had not been charged. The investigation was active, the sheriff's office said.

A sheriff's office release did not describe the shelters or the reason they believe the man had them.

A WMTJ-TV photographer took footage of the property in October. The television station's offices are across the street. Video from the station shows debris spread over a wide area, multiple jugs of liquid and an underground bunker with a cloth partially covering the opening.

A WTMJ-TV reporter at the scene Wednesday saw investigators take away at least two guns and a bow and arrows.

Contact Sophie Carson at (414) 223-5512 or scarson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SCarson_News.