KENTWOOD, Mich. — The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office has charged a Kentwood man with felonious assault in connection to a June 29 incident where residents on Stauffer Avenue SE reported a man firing at least one shot from a rifle and threatening the neighborhood.
Salim Kadir-Tyler Powell, 24, has been released on $20,000 bond from the Kent County Jail to await trial, according to a news release Friday.
Powell was arrested June 29 by officers from the Kentwood Police Department, who had responded to calls from nearby residents.
RELATED: Man hospitalized, arrested after officer-involved shooting in Kentwood
Kentwood police say Powell was shot once by an officer on the scene during his arrest when Powell pointed a firearm at the officer.
Before that, Powell disregarded repeated commands by officers to stop and drop his weapon, police said.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released for a wound to the abdomen, which wasn’t considered life-threatening.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office completed its investigation and gave its report to the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office.
After reviewing the investigation, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says the officer who shot Powell had an “honest and reasonable belief” that the suspect was about to shoot, and that the officer had a right to protect himself and the sergeant before shots were fired.
Watch footage of the shooting here:
The officer’s actions were determined to be justified and he has since returned to full duty.
“At the Kentwood Police Department, we sincerely believe we need to earn and have the public’s trust in order to provide the best professional service to our community,” Chief of Police Richard Roberts said in a statement. “A large part of maintaining that trust requires we only use force when it is reasonable based on the circumstances of each individual incident.”
