Police release name of man shot to death by deputies near Sunfield on Jan. 11
ROXAND TWP. — The Eaton County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday identified the man shot and killed by police Jan. 11 near Sunfield as Garrett Freeman, 33.
The shooting happened after deputies found a man wanted by Charlotte police in the area of St. Joe Highway and Gates Road in Roxand Township, sheriff's officials have said.
The man's name and age were not released until Tuesday, and police had released no other details about the incident, other than the man was shot after he was seen with a gun and that deputies provided first aid until paramedics arrived and transported him to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, where he was pronounced dead.
In Tuesday's news release, they said "the deputies" involved in the incident are on administrative leave while Michigan State Police investigate the shooting, but sheriff's officials have not said how many deputies were involved or released their names.
“Initial information that we have reviewed indicates that the deputies involved responded to the call in accordance with their training,” Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich said in the release. “The Michigan State Police are continuing to conduct their independent investigation, per my request.”
It's standard procedure for officers involved in deadly force incidents to be placed on leave while the incident is being investigated.
Police earlier said deputies were looking for a white male who was believed to be armed and dangerous and found him in the rural area near Sunfield about 1 p.m. Jan. 11.
Tuesday's release said Freeman was "being actively sought at the time of the incident in reference to a criminal investigation."
No other information about the incident was released.
The Eaton County incident was the second shooting by police in the Lansing area in as many days. In a Lansing incident, Zachary Duling fled from an officer who shot at his vehicle, but was arrested the next day and treated for a minor gunshot wound, police said.
Lansing police released body camera video from the incident last week.
Police said Freeman was from Roxand Township. An online obituary said he was from Mullikan.
Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Police release name of man killed by deputies near Sunfield on Jan. 11
