GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Friday evening, a man holding what appeared to be a gun was shot and killed by officers outside of Trinity Health in Grand Rapids, leaving a 38-year-old man dead, police say. The Grand Rapids Police Department responded to calls of a man waving a "gun-shaped object" in the air.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom held a media briefing with details about the shooting Saturday afternoon, stating that he believes there is enough circumstantial evidence to confirm that this shooting was suicide by cop.
Around 10:45 p.m., dispatch received multiple 911 calls about a person with a gun near Trinity Health in the area of Maple Street SE and Jefferson Avenue SE.
Chief Winstrom said that the first call came from an ambulance that was leaving the hospital. Soon after, another 911 call came in, saying, “They came up there yelling, and they said, ‘some guy’s got a gun, some guy’s got a gun.’”
The shooting happened moments after an officer told the man multiple times to drop the gun, which is shown in footage released by GRPD.
Chief Winstrom said, “What initially led up to this was an ambulance that was departing Trinity Hospital; called their dispatch; their dispatch called our dispatch and said, ‘Hey, there's a man with a gun right outside the hospital. Send the police.’”
By the time the officer shot the man, Chief Winstrom said there were roughly ten officers on the scene, but only three fired at the man. None of the officers on the scene were physically injured.
“It’s critically important for us to make sure that they are emotionally and mentally ready to return to the streets to make sure that they have the services they need,” Chief Winstrom said.
Now, Michigan State Police is conducting its own independent investigation.
“I am very grateful that we still have this relationship with the Michigan State Police,” Chief Winstrom said.
The 38-year-old man has not yet been identified, but according to Chief Winstrom, the man collapsed with a clenched fist around the "gun-shaped object."
“In a canvas of the area, one of my officers actually encountered someone who said that this gentleman had conveyed to them that he was intending to partake in what's often called suicide by cop,” Chief Winstrom said.
Over the last month, Chief Winstrom said officers have been in contact with this man several times to provide him with mental health services.
Winstrom added that from what he saw, the "gun-shaped object" did not appear to be a functioning firearm.
“I mean, to his credit, did not intend to hurt anyone," Chief Winstrom said. "Did not intend to hurt a police officer, but this was, this was his way of ending his own life."
The Michigan State Police will be handling the investigation into the use of deadly force by the Grand Rapids Police Officers, and it will be reviewed by the Kent County Prosecutor's Office.
Anyone with more information on this officer involved shooting can contact Silent Observer.
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