CHARLOTTE — An Eaton Rapids police officer was legally justified in shooting a 30-year-old man following a road pursuit and crash late last year, Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd said.
Hunter Palacios was shot and killed by Officer Yutaka Benson on the night of Dec. 30. Lloyd ruled Benson was justified in using deadly force, meaning the officer won’t face criminal charges.
“Palacios was turning back towards Benson while holding a black object in his hand that in the moment was reasonable to infer was a firearm,” Lloyd said in an April 17 news release. “Based on the totality of these circumstances, it is my conclusion that Officer Benson was reasonable to believe that Palacios presented an immediate danger of great bodily harm or death to him and (another officer), thus permitting him to use deadly force.”
The fatal controntation happened after an officer tried to stop a driver on South Main Street around 9:50 p.m., police said at the time. The fleeing driver crashed near the intersection with Canal Street, and the driver and his female passenger ran from the crash scene, authorities said.
The officer had responded to a suspected break-in at an address on East Spicerville Highway, just outside the city limits, and saw a vehicle leaving the driveway and heading toward the city, Lloyd said.
“It was snowing at the time, and the roads were slick,” Lloyd said. “Benson caught up to the (car) after it had crashed into a guard rail over the Grand River near the intersection of Main St. and Canal St. The vehicle was unoccupied with the airbags deployed, but the driver’s side door was open and fresh footprints were near the vehicle.”
Benson found Palacios behind a building associated with a dam, and the man refused to comply with Benson’s commands, Lloyd said. Palacios yelled, “Shoot me,” yelled that he had a gun and refused to remove his hands from his coat pockets, Lloyd said.
He advanced on the officer with his hands in his pockets, screaming at Benson to shoot him, Lloyd said. Benson retreated and continued to give commands to Palacios, but the man ran back toward the crashed car and on toward Canal Street, Lloyd said.
Another Eaton Rapids officer arrived at some point to assist Benson, who shot Palacios with an electrical stun device. The device was ineffective, and the chase continued northbound on Canal.
“As Palacios cleared the north end of the Old Horner Mill property, he yelled back at the officers that he had a gun,” the news release said. “Approximately 10 seconds later, Palacios abruptly stopped, causing Benson and (the other officer) to also abruptly stop. At the same time, Palacios yelled and Benson saw him remove his hand from his coat pocket and begin to turn his upper body to the left. Officer Benson can be seen appearing to quickly dodge to his left as he observed Palacios’ arm extended with a black object in his hand. Believing that Palacios was turning towards him with the firearm he claimed to have, Benson discharged his duty weapon.”
Benson fired 15 rounds, Lloyd said. The news release did not say that a weapon was found on Palacios.
The two officers held the injured man at gunpoint until state police arrived. Palacios was later pronounced dead at Eaton Rapids Medical Center.
Michigan State Police investigated the shooting. Reports were submitted to the prosecutor’s office on March 19, Lloyd said.
Lloyd is the Republican nominee for Michigan Attorney General.
Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on X @KBPalm_lsj.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Eaton Rapids police officer cleared in fatal shooting of man last year
Reporting by Ken Palmer, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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