Detroit Police Kill Sword-Wielding Man on West Side
This marks the third officer-involved killing in the past month. Between 2015 and the end of June, Detroit police killed nine people.
A Detroit Police officer shot and killed a sword-wielding man on the city’s west side Thursday night.
Chief James Craig says officers were on a different call when they saw the man waving a sword in an intersection near Meyers and Grand River Avenue. Craig says the officers tried to stop the man, but he charged at them. When a taser didn’t work on the man, an officer fired a single shot, killing the man.
“It could be the anti-police rhetoric that permeates our country.” — Chief James Craig
This latest incident marks the third killing by a DPD officer this month. Between 2015 and the end of June, Detroit police killed nine people. When asked why there’s been an uptick in violence and officer-involved shootings lately, Craig struck a familiar refrain.
“It could be any number of reasons, but it could be the anti-police rhetoric that permeates our country,” Craig says. “The fact that there’s bail reform and some individual being released, and frankly suspects feel emboldened. Officers are facing very aggressive suspects who are armed.”
An officer was slightly injured when the man threw a knife.
This latest incident will likely do little to quell anti-police brutality protests in the city.
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