By Police1 Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Mich. — A 50-year-old robbery suspect was shot by a deputy while advancing towards him with a replica gun, Battle Creek Enquirer reported.
Derrick T. Shirk was shot while holding an airsoft gun with the orange tip removed and refusing to obey commands to surrender on Feb. 3, Calhoun County Sheriff Matt Saxton told the news site.
Shirk was shot twice in the torso after pointing the replica handgun at a deputy. The officer thought the gun was real.
“The sergeant gave loud verbal commands to drop the handgun and the handgun was raised and the sergeant fired his service weapon, striking the suspect twice in the torso,” Saxton said. “It did appear to be a real firearm at the time of the incident and it appears to be a real gun at a quick view of it.”
The deputy was responding to reports about a robbery and tips of the suspect’s whereabouts when he found Shirk. Shirk led him on a short pursuit before entering the driveway of a residence where the shooting ensued.
The deputy fired as many as 14 shots, police said.
After the shooting, Saxton said Shirk asked the officer, “Why didn’t you kill me?”
The officer was not hurt in the shooting.
Shirk was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover. He was listed as a parole absconder on Dec. 1 and has an extensive criminal record, including armed robbery, prison escape and three convictions of breaking and entering.