Andy Kochanski, who owns Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall on the city’s south side, chats with a reporter for a few minutes as he sets up tables outside his bar Friday.
Music blared from the speakers as Andy Kochanski served drinks at Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall Friday evening, one night after the owner shot and killed a 23-year-old Milwaukee armed robbery suspect at the south side bar.
Kochanski, who was surrounded by family and friends in the polka bar at 1920 S. 37th St., declined to talk about the events of the previous night, saying he had been advised not to make any further statements.
Earlier in the day, Kochanski, 43, told reporters that three armed men tried to rob the establishment Thursday night while he and two customers were inside.
He fired at the robbers, killing one of them. Milwaukee police confirmed those details, and the two other suspects fled, Milwaukee police Lt. Mark Stanmeyer said.
Stanmeyer said Kochanski is cooperating with the investigation, and the case will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County district attorney's office in the coming days. Police have not identified the dead suspect.
In the bar Friday night, support for Kochanski, who has worked in the forestry department of the City of Milwaukee for 13 years, echoed throughout the room during the brief intermissions between songs from the jukebox.
Tiffany Kochanski, Andy's sister-in-law, said she was still in shock after hearing about the attempted robbery and shooting Friday morning. She and her husband were helping Andy serve drinks behind the bar.
"We all hope Andy's OK," she said. "I think he did the right thing."
Jerry Herrmann, 87, said he drove to the bar from Genesee Depot to show support for Kochanski after hearing about the incident. He said he has frequented the location to dance for more than 30 years.
"This place has always been fun," he said. "I'm a big supporter of Andy."
From behind the bar, Kochanski and his brother Nicholas served drinks to about 25 patrons, including their parents who were seated at a back table. Aside from two television cameras and one or two hugs for Andy from his brother or a patron, there was no evidence of the incident that had taken place in the bar less than 24 hours earlier.
"In my view, it's just an unfortunate circumstance," Rudy Povlich of Bay View said. "The trouble is, put in that situation, what are you going to do?"
In 2008, Kochanski was put in a similar situation, when the former St. Francis firefighter was hosting a Christmas party and men wearing black ski masks and carrying a sawed-off shotgun entered the bar. During that incident, Kochanski fired at the men and they fled.
"All that went through my mind was, 'Oh my God, I'm going to have to kill these guys,'" Kochanski told the Journal Sentinel at the time.
That time, one customer suffered a gunshot wound.
On Friday morning, Kochanski took to the bar's Facebook page to reassure his customers:
"I would like to state that I did what I had to do to protect my customers and myself. I have no regrets and would do it again if need be.
"PLEASE do not let this keep you from having a great time here. PLEASE do not let this tarnish this neighborhood. This could and has happened anywhere."
"You should ALWAYS feel safe here," he wrote.
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