Detroit police shoot, kill man armed with handgun on city’s southwest side

DETROIT – Detroit police shot and killed a man who was armed with a handgun on the city’s southwest side.

The shooting occurred Friday (Aug. 18) at 8 p.m. on west Vernor Highway and I-75 near Mexicantown.

Detroit police Chief James White said the suspect was a Caucasian man in his late 50s to early 60 who was holding up traffic while waving an object in one hand and holding on to his coat in the other.

When a supervisor patrolling the areal observed the suspect, white said that was when the man produced a handgun and pointed it at the supervisor before the officer fired shots at the suspect.

Neighbors said they heard one clip being emptied and then another five shots fired.

Detroit police Chief James White said he could not confirm how many shots were fired, but officers at the scene did recover a gun.

“We have a supervisor that’s on patrol in the area of I-75 and Vernor Highway who observes the suspect, who was a white male in his late 50s to early 60s blocking traffic at the intersection,” said White. “He’s got something in one hand and his coat in the other hand waving it around and stopping traffic. He encounters him and engages him to investigate exactly what’s going on. At some point during this investigation, the suspect produces a handgun, points it at the supervisor, and the supervisor fires shots.”

White said the gun was recovered at the scene.

The man was taken to a Metro Detroit hospital but White said he later succumbed to his injuries.

This is a breaking news story, and updates will be posted as they become available.

Detroit police Chief James White talks shooting incident