BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A Battle Creek café is back to normal business hours following an officer-involved shooting that took place inside the business.
Café Rica closed its doors briefly after a Texas man died during a struggle with Battle Creek police. The city of Battle Creek says officers were called to the café, located downtown, in response to “an unwanted person.”
The officer, upon walking in Café Rica, asked Dario Agudelo from Texas, "Can I have you stand up?" According to Battle Creek Police Chief Shannon Bagley, Agudelo complied at first, until the officer tried to handcuff him.
Police say Agudelo was standing with his hands in the air saying, "I don't want to be detained," seconds before he lunged at a female officer and tackled her to the ground. During the struggle, Agudelo reached for her gun and shot her in the leg.
According to Bagley, when backup officers arrived, they tried to Tase Agudelo, but it had no effect. At that point, the officer shot him. Life-saving efforts were attempted; however, Agudelo died at the scene.
READ MORE: Texas man dead, officer hospitalized after Battle Creek shooting
In a statement sent to FOX 17, co-owner of Café Rica Tristan Bredehoft said:
"Opening up today, the first day since last Thursday, there has been an abundance of love and support from the community. Many community members have been very generous giving their love in many ways. It truly is amazing how this community has showed up. During our closure, we focused on healing. Healing for our staff and the community that we serve and love. We all needed the time to process our emotions and time to breathe. There have been a lot of resources made available for us to continue that healing, which is still our top priority for the staff and community."
The incident is still being investigated by Michigan State Police. The officer who shot Agudelo is on administrative leave per department protocol.
