By Police1 Staff
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A prosecutor released body camera footage Tuesday of a fatal May 3 gunbattle between three officers and a suspect.
Officers approached Malik Carey, 18, who was seated in the backseat of a parked car, WOOD reported. Police were searching for him because he was truant.
Initially, Carey gave officers a fake name. Police then waited on the scene until they received a photo to confirm Carey was actually the person they were searching for. Once his identity was confirmed, an officer told Carey to place his hands on his head and exit the vehicle. Carey pulled a gun and opened fire.
Police said Carey fired four shots before officers returned fire. He was pronounced dead at a hospital, WOOD reported. No officers were hit.
Police Chief David Rahinsky and prosecutor Chris Becker both said the officers acted appropriately in the situation.
“Anytime anyone loses their life there’s things you wish had been done differently,” Rahinsky told Fox 17. “Having said that, the actions of Malik Carey left the officers with no other option.”
Two officers have returned to work after they were placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation. The third officer will be back on patrol soon.
Carey was a probation absconder and had a criminal history dating back to 2010, WOOD reported. He was charged with assault with intent to murder in 2015 in connection to a shooting. Carey pleaded guilty later to assault with intent to do great bodily harm.