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Man shot and killed by Wyoming police officer after gun theft identified

Posted at 12:17 PM, Sep 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-08 18:29:20-04

WYOMING, Mich. – A Wyoming Police officer shot and killed a 25-year-old man Wednesday evening after they say he stole a semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at the officer. Police identified the man as Sadiq Bishara-Abaker Idris. He was from Sudan, which made locating his next of kin difficult, and they believe he was living in Grand Rapids.

Sadiq Bishara-Abaker Idris

Sadiq Bishara-Abaker Idris

The autopsy confirmed Idris died from a single gunshot wound, though police would not comment on how many shots were fired.

The incident began at 5:24 p.m. Wednesday, according to managers at Al & Bob’s Sports, when they say the 25-year-old man stole the gun from their store on Division Ave. The man did not threaten employees or break a case to steal the gun, and their employees turned over their surveillance video to police.

Wyoming Police Capt. Kim Koster says the man bicycled from the store after the theft. The shooting happened in the area of 32nd Street and Eastern Avenue after someone called police at about 7:15 p.m. to report a man in the area of 32nd and Eastern "with what appeared to be a gun in his back pocket."

Koster said during a press conference when police confronted the man he pointed a gun at the officer and the officer shot him in self-defense. The stolen handgun was recovered at the scene, and a K-9 unit later located the bicycle of the man.

The Wyoming police officer is on paid administrative leave; he was not hurt.

Police would not comment on how many shots were fired, whether the suspect's gun was loaded or if he fired his gun, or where the suspect was shot.

"This was an experienced officer who is a trained and seasoned professional," Wyoming Public Safety Director James Carmody said in a release.  "We are grateful that he and other members of the public were not harmed tonight."

Wyoming Police are not equipped with body cameras, they do however use dash cameras which they say captured part of this incident. FOX 17 has requested this footage.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.

This is a developing story, stay with FOX 17 for updates.