Warren police: Officers shot and killed man in incident that happened in less than 7 seconds

Less than seven seconds.

That's how much time passed from when Warren police saw an 18-year-old high schooler armed with a gun to a volley of gunshots from officers after the man pointed his gun at police Friday, Police Commissioner Charles Rushton said Monday.

Rushton said the man did not fire his gun. He was shot three times and died.

Police did not release the name of the man in the confrontation outside a home on Garbor Drive near Ryan and 11 Mile roads. Rushton said police spoke with his family Friday and showed them the video Monday before it was released.

Officials said the man bought the Glock 9mm handgun legally from a private individual, and it was registered to him. But the man's family did not know he had the gun or why he had it, Rushton said during a news conference aired on WXYZ-TV's Facebook page.

2 officers fired 11 shots

Two officers fired 11 shots, three of which hit the man in the upper body, Lt. John Gajewski told the Free Press. He said police are awaiting the conclusion of the medical examiner's report.

Four officers are on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, as is routine. Gajewski said some could be back to work by the end of the week. They are undergoing a debriefing and meeting with a mental health professional.

He did not name the officers who fired, but said one had been with the department about three years and the other 16 to 17 years. Both have prior police experience.

"We recognize that this incident is a very serious and emotional incident for the family, the officers and the community as a whole," Gajewski said during the news conference.

Police officials said the man had only a few traffic contacts, and this was the first time officers were called to the family's residence. He said the man may have been experiencing a mental health crisis. An initial toxicology screening indicated no drug use. The man was attending an online school program, Rushton said.

The situation unfolded Friday when police responded to the home after a boy in his young teens called 911 saying his brother assaulted his family.

Caller said his brother was 'going crazy'

The caller said his brother was "going crazy," was "assaulting everybody," hadn't slept in four days, and while they tried to help him, nothing was working, per a 911 call police released.

When the caller indicated someone had left, the dispatcher asked him to check if it was his brother. The caller told the dispatcher "not to talk for a second" and "I gotta hide the phone." The dispatcher also asked the caller if there were any weapons in the home, to which the caller replied, "No, I don't think so."

Upon arrival, police said officers tried contact at the front door, but received no answer. Shortly after, the garage door opened and officers were confronted by a man with a handgun. A news release stated the officers retreated, but were pursued on foot by the man and moments later, the shooting occurred.

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Police body camera video shows the garage door opening, then a smaller door inside the garage opening. An officer is heard exclaiming, followed by "gun, gun, gun," and the video shows officers running from the garage. Rushton said officers retreated to a safe position, and the man came from around bushes, raised his gun and pointed it at them.

A windshield mounted camera shows a person running out of the garage after the officers, with a screen grab showing him armed with a weapon. A body camera from a second officer shows the person pointing the weapon at the officer, and the man being shot.

"Stop moving. Do not move," the police yell as the man is on the ground. One officer tells radio dispatch shots were fired and to send an ambulance. The officer demands to see the man's hands and he is handcuffed, which police officials said is standard tactical procedure.

A first aid kit is requested and the man is searched. One officer asks the man, "You with me?" and "Hey, wake up. I got nothin'" and begins CPR on him.

"Stay with me. There you go. Breathe. Breathe," the officer tells him. "Good. Good. Stay with me, man. Stay with me." He said the man was breathing again.

Rushton said the man was revived three times by police. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital several minutes after arriving.

Police said five people were in the home at the time of the incident. None of them, nor any officers, were injured. Rushton said the assaults that occurred in the home, prompting the 911 call, involved pushing or shoving of family members.

Rushton said in Michigan one has to be age 18 to buy a gun from a private individual, but age 21 to buy it from someone with a federal firearms license.

Gajewski said the family requested the public and parents become more educated about children having access to firearms and to check their rooms for them.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Warren police: Officers shot, killed 18-year-old after he pointed gun