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Prosecutor: No charges to be filed in Ottawa Co. officer-involved shooting

Posted at 3:02 PM, May 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-01 22:58:49-04

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - The Ottawa County Prosecutor says that the officer that fired the fatal shot that ended a standoff and hostage situation will not face any charges.

Ronald Frantz issued his statement Tuesday afternoon.

On April 22, officers from the Holland Department of Public Safety, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and others converged on the home of Matthew and Mary Hartman in West Olive after Matt Hartman had taken Mary at gunpoint to Muskegon, where he shot and killed Jordan Carey, a friend of Mary.  He then took her back to their West Olive home and held her hostage.

“It looked like it had the potential to be another homicide or a murder suicide, the officer acted heroic and saved a life.” Says Frantz.

According to Frantz, Matthew Hartman came out of the house just before 9:00 a.m. with a handgun to Mary's head. As a police armored vehicle moved into position, a Holland DPS officer came out of the hatch of the vehicle and fired a single rifle shot that hit Matthew Hartman in the head.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. Mary was not injured.

“Matt Hartman came out of the house and was killed within about 2 minutes." Says Frantz.

Frantz says that Hartman had several chances to disarm and surrender.  He says that the officer was aware of the desperate circumstances of the hostage and acted with legal justification.  He says the officer believed Mary's life was in eminent danger and shooting Matthew was necessary to prevent a second murder.