DETROIT (WWJ) A Detroit officer has been suspended in the wake of a shooting for which he did not pull the trigger, police said.
The officer and his female partner failed to render immediate aid to a shooting victim, according Interim Police Chief James White. White called the incident "troubling."
“What I am looking to understand is prior to leaving the scene and returning to provide the assistance, what is the state of mind of the officers. What did they think they were doing?" White said.
White told WWJ the officers eventually did “circle back” to help the man who had been shot in the leg, but not quickly enough.
“We do have some very serious policy concerns about what he saw. I did see enough to make an immediate decision to suspend with one officer, and I did that,” White said.
WDIV reports a gunman fired multiple shots from his car window at the victim during the June 30th shooting. A location has not been specified. Police dashcam footage, obtained by Deadline Detroit, appears to show the officers leaving the scene rather than helping the man.
The man is expected to recover, and all the victims involved in the incident are expected to be okay. The suspects got away, police said.
“Wearing this badge is not a right, it’s a privilege,” White said, adding this will be used as a “catalyst to look at” similar complaints within the force.
The other officer is currently on medical leave. The department said they will make a decision about disciplinary actions for her, if any, upon her return.
The names of the officers involved have not been released.
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