Detroit police officers shot and killed a veteran police officer who opened fire on them in an apparent suicide attempt Monday afternoon.
The unidentified shooter, 45, who had 13 years of experience in the city’s police force, opened fire on his fellow officers with a “high-powered rifle,” wounding two before they returned fire, according to The Detroit News.
He had been struggling with his mental health and was “calling for an officer to commit suicide,” Chief James White announced at a news conference hours after the officer’s shocking death.
The chief noted that the officer had recently been off work and had recently returned to “full duty.”
He was dressed in his uniform at the time, but was off duty at the time of the shooting.
An off-duty Detroit officer was shot and killed by his fellow police officers Monday afternoon.
White said the police-involved shooting unfolded after District 11 officers responded to a 911 call about a “suicide in progress” around 2:26 p.m.
They later discovered that the person threatening to commit suicide was a police officer.
“When they arrived, they heard gunshots,” White said.
‘The suspect is identified as a member of our department. He is a member of our special response team. It’s out of order.
“He’s threatening suicide. He’s asking a police officer to commit suicide,” the chief said.
The officer was shooting into the air when officers arrived and took cover behind a vehicle, but the shooter soon approached the vehicle and began shooting from the rear, White said.
“He hit two of our officers, one in the leg and one in the thigh,” the chief said.
“An officer returns fire, mortally wounding the officer in question.”
Chief James White said the unidentified officer had been struggling with his mental health and was “asking a cop to commit suicide.”
