DETROIT (WWJ) – A woman who was apparently suffering a mental health crisis was shot and killed by Detroit police during a struggle Thursday evening, on the city's west side.
Detroit Police Chief James White on Friday shared more details about the incident, which started when the suspect's mother went to check on her grandkids at a home on Meyers Rd. near Pilgrim St.
The grandmother called 911 at around 6:30 p.m., telling police that her adult daughter, who lives with mental health issues, was not in a good state of mind and had beat her and her son, who was bleeding. "She was not acting normal, in her (the 911 caller's) words, and she saw that the oldest child had been assaulted," White said.
The woman talking with police said she may have to shoot her daughter who was armed with a knife and a bat, was agitated and "simply not right," the chief said.
The grandmother, who had her own mother with her, said that when they tried to leave the house her daughter attacked her, punching her multiple times.
White said the two women were able to get out of the house, but the suspect followed them outside with a gun.
"At this point now she does have the gun in her hand. She's partially clothed, she's in her underwear, and she's waving and pointing the gun at them as they are leaving and calling the police," White said.
When officers arrived they surrounded the home, spoke with the caller, and then spent about 45 minutes negotiating with the suspect, who had gone back into the house.
At some point the suspect opened the door, and police saw the children behind her.
"They actually tried to ask the children if they were in fact OK," White said. "The mother refused to allow them to ask that question and disrupted the kids before they could respond."
The suspect then shut the door, but a short time later opened it again and spoke with officers.
"While she was distracted, officers entered the house, and a struggle ensued for a gun," White said.
During the struggle, the suspect was shot.
She later died at the hospital. Her name has not been released.
A total of five officers entered the home, according to police, including three who fired shots, one who was also involved in the struggle, and a fifth who did not fire shots.
One of the officers suffered a contusion to his head. He was treated at a hospital and is expected to be OK, police said. None of the other officers were injured.
The chief said the investigation into what happened is still ongoing, as they're still looking into is why, exactly, officers decided to enter the home.
White said the situation would certainly have been handled differently if there were no children involved.
"Certainly, if the suspect was alone in the house we would've had the opportunity to utilize the barricaded gunman process, which we have touted as very, very successful," White said. "Whether the officers were acting based on the fact that the children were in the home, and the urgent necessity to get the children from the home, is currently being investigated."
"But we do know when children are at risk decisions to protect them are our top priority," he added.
White said the kids are OK and are in the care of their grandmother.
Michigan State Police will be handling the investigation into the police shooting, including working to determine whether anything criminal occurred.
All five officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
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