Man wanted for domestic assault shot by Pittsfield Township police officer, was not seriously injured
Updated story: Man shot in abdomen by Pittsfield Township police officer expected to be criminally charged Monday
A 30-year-old man wanted for domestic assault was shot by a Pittsfield Township police officer Saturday after the officer stopped his vehicle and attempted to arrest him, authorities said.
The suspect was transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where he was treated and released, Pittsfield Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said. It's unclear exactly what led to the shooting, but Michigan State Police have been called to investigate the incident.
Pittsfield Township police officers are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting Saturday evening.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
At about 4 p.m., a woman reported she was assaulted by her husband, and he had left the scene, Harshberger said. Harshberger declined to say where the assault took place, and it's not clear whether the woman was injured.
A Pittsfield Township police officer spotted the suspect's vehicle on Platt Road at 4:55 p.m., and he turned into the Rosewood Village condominium complex off Primrose Drive, across the street from the Pittsfield Township Administration Building, Harshberger said. The officer attempted to make a traffic stop, and the suspect parked his vehicle on Conifer Drive, Harshberger said.
The Ypsilanti man exited his vehicle, and the shooting took place on the street, Harshberger said. The suspect was the only person in the vehicle.
Harshberger said police are still piecing together the details of what occurred and declined to say whether the suspect had a weapon or what led to the shooting.
Pittsfield police issued a news release at 11 p.m., which said the officer gave the suspect several orders, and he did not obey. The man "confronted the Pittsfield police officer with a life-threatening action," and the officer shot him, according to the release. The officer was not injured.
Several other officers were there and are being interviewed, Harshberger said.
The suspect was shot once; Harshberger declined to say where. He was taken into custody and was then transported to the hospital. After his release, the suspect was jailed pending criminal charges, Harshberger said.
Harshberger said this is the first officer-involved shooting in the 32-year history of the Pittsfield Police Department. "We have requested that the Michigan State Police respond, and a thorough investigation will be conducted," he said.
Joe Barbera, who has lived in the condominium complex for about three years, told a reporter that he'd been home most of the day and hadn't heard any shots fired. He said it was "pretty crazy'' to realize a shooting had occurred.
"This is a really safe neighborhood,'' agreed his brother, Brad Barbera, who also lives in the condominiums. He said many of the residents are students or young professionals.
(Freelance reporter Ronald Ahrens contributed to this report.)
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Comments
actionjackson
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
@Elllen An undergrad, law degree and a bag of chips. You should be concerned and frightened by the fact that bullets are flying in your living space. If you weren't scared about it would be unusual.
Ellen
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
Thank you very much, DMJ. I wasn't going to revisit this because I felt attacked and put down for just trying to say that I was frightened for my kids' safety, and feeling ambivalent about the sitch. I'm beginning to realize that for every person that has a comment, there's at least a few internet bullies to show them the error of their ways. I'll be thinking twice before posting again.
djm12652
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:53 p.m.
@Ellen, as a mother and someone that has handled weapons for almost 50 years, I understand your point. The unknown quantitives in actions such as this by an untrained shooter can be disturbing. That being said, law enforcement personnel are trained to face this type of scenario, repeatedly. Do not allow those that claim to be trying to interpret your remarks, bother you. Sometimes people that profess their intelligence actually are blowing smoke.
DFSmith
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 8:20 a.m.
@Ellen- please realise that I ma not being critical of you. Your concerns about the danger of stray rounds is a legitimate concern. To follow up on TrueBlue's comment. My late friend was Officer mason Smaborski who used to be an officer of the Oak Park, MI police Dept. 3 days after Christmas of 2008, he pulled over a teenage boy, who was driving a stolen care. Instead of taking the teenager tojail, he tried to take the teenager to his parents. Mason was a very nice guy, who gave the teenager benefit of doubt, and he allowed the teenager to get very close to him. He ended up getting killed by said teenager. Mason left behind wife and a little baby. Cops nowadays just cant afford to hesitate. One hears of angry or crazy or just plain bad people killing cops on duty on almost a daily basis.
Ricebrnr
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 6:50 a.m.
Ok Ellen so we did read it as you meant it? Not attacking you but out of curiosity, if we read you correctly why bother being defensive and deny it? You certainly have a right to your opinions and if someone provides a counter point, stand by or defend yours. Denying you meaant what you said damages your credibility.
Ellen
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 10:32 p.m.
Ok, I'll say it. My opionion is that it was irresponsible to fire a gun in a residential area. The guy wasn't a murderer, and backup was immediate (across the street). I suspect that thet state police are involved to inspect the reason that the gun was fired. I'm not trying to be a cop-hater, but I do think that the circumstances were a bit iffy. That said, I also feel scared that the policeman felt the need to fire upon the person in this area - maybe he might have fired first? Whatever - it's scary to me. I don't know that a bullet won't penetrate my home or car if I'm in the immediate area. I didn't go to gun school, so I'm assuming that bullets can enter windows/walls. Haven't you heard stories of children being killed by stray bullets in Detroit? It's those stories that make me react to this. So I hope that my language is a bit less "imprecise" for you. I'm just reacting to something in my backyard, that directly effects me, and I didn't expect to be attacked for being frightened by it. Excuse me for being honest with my feelings - I hope you don't ever have to feel the same way.
DFSmith
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
@Ellen- you now probably realise why people get in trouble when to talk to cops using imprecise language, or when people get in trouble when they are testifying in court. Looks like someone else besides me misunderstood what you had intended to say. As far as safety from stray round from a pistol is concerned, unless you and your kids were in the direct line of fire, and you were inside your home, you all would be relatively safe. I doubt that a 9mm/.40cal round would penetrate the outer walls of your home. Most cops in Washtenaw County dont carry pistols chambered for.45s. I would be more worried about rounds fired by the criminal elements firing off random shots at their enemies or during the course of a criminal act.
Ricebrnr
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 9:02 p.m.
Actually I read it the same way, the implication waz pretty clear.
Ellen
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.
Your undergraduate degree taught you how to read my mind? wow, that's amazing. It scared me that a shot was fired near my home, where my children live. By my commenting on that, I implied all that you wrote? and invited your smarmy attack? Geesh.
DFSmith
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
I read it Ellen, I commented on what your implied. Trust me, I know how to read, I have an undergrad and a law degree from U-M
Ellen
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.
@DFSmith, I didn't specify any "safe shooting criteria". I said yikes, and I'm glad no one was seriously hurt. Before jumping all up in my stuff and being a smart aleck, take a minute to actually read the comment.
DFSmith
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 11:37 a.m.
@ Ellen, should the cop have invited the alleged perp to a safer place, like maybe a certified shooting range and then shot the perp, so that the shooting met your criteria for a "safe' shooting?
Ellen
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 10:41 a.m.
I live here, not sure how I feel about this. A lot of people live close together in this complex, a stray bullet wouldn't have to go far to hit someone. I'm glad nobody was seriously injured, but shooting someone in a parking lot? yikes.
DFSmith
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 8:53 a.m.
Where are all the cop-haters and police-procedure experts today?
Ricebrnr
Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 7:50 a.m.
There should be a follow up interview with the alledged to see if he would've preferred being shot with a Taser instead...
YouWhine
Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 11:34 p.m.
What is the point of the Joe Barbera quote? To suggest that this didn't really happen? Or to just say "hey look! We searched high and low for viewpoints on this story and came up with a guy who lives nearby and heard nothing..."? Seriously.