Man fatally shot by police on Detroit’s Southwest side 

Detroit Police on patrol Tuesday night in the city’s far Southwest side shot a man they say is a gang member.

Chief James White says the man was “obviously” armed and officers tried to stop him. A short foot chase ensued, with one of the officers opening fire after seeing the gun in the suspect’s hand. After hopping a fence, the man turned toward officers with a gun in his hand. The man, who was not named by police, was shot three times by one of the officers.

White says the man was known to the officers on patrol.

“They encounter a suspect who was known to them to be a gang member,” White says. “He’s also obviously armed. The officers attempt to stop him. He flees from the officers. The officers pursue.”

White says the initial patrol was to curb gun violence in the city.

“We’ve had a rash of gun violence in this community in particular, and it’s been specific to gun or gang violence,” White says, “and so they’re here doing what we’re asking them to do, proactively and trying to curtail the use violent episodes of weapon usage.”

The man was shot three times and remains in critical condition. The officers involved have been placed on administrative duty pending investigation by the department and Michigan State Police.

White says an investigation is ongoing.

“I’m gonna look at the videos that we have both in current body cameras, make sure that our policies were followed,” White says. “We’ll do a thorough investigation with the Michigan State Police and our findings will be turned over to the prosecutor’s office. During that time there’ll be an administrative capacity.”

The bodycam footage was not made available to media.