Chief James Obituary, Death; – The Detroit police community is in mourning following the tragic incident in which an officer was shot and killed by fellow officers during a mental health crisis. The event occurred on Monday, October 14, shortly before 2:30 p.m. in the vicinity of E Davison and St. Aubin, near the Highland Park water tower.
According to police reports, the officers were responding to a 911 call made by the off-duty officer when he began firing, resulting in injuries to two officers. The responding officers returned fire, leading to the death of the shooter.
Identification of the deceased officer
Detroit police Chief James White stated that two officers heard gunfire and subsequently recognized the shooter as a member of their Special Response Team (SRT).
“Upon their arrival, they heard gunshots,” Chief White explained. “The suspect has been identified as one of our own. He is a member of our special response team, off duty, and in a state of crisis, expressing a desire for suicide by cop. This situation highlights that mental health crises can affect anyone, including our officers who face these challenges daily.” The shooter was in full uniform, aged 45, and had served 13 years with the Detroit Police Department.
“This is an extremely tragic situation, and we are not exempt from the mental health issues that plague our city, state, and nation,” Chief White remarked. “It impacts everyone. As the mayor noted, the responding officers acted heroically. Upon realizing the individual was one of their own, they still had to fulfill their duty to ensure public safety. We will provide grief counseling for our officers and support for the family during this difficult time. It is indeed a heartbreaking day.”
Chief White further mentioned that the SRT officer had been dealing with a cognitive condition, which had led to a period of absence from work and subsequent restrictions. However, he had returned to full duty as recently as October 3.
“We had hoped that he was on the path to recovery and receiving the necessary support within his assigned unit,” Chief White added.
