A Southgate police officer shot and killed a man after he produced a sharp object and advanced toward officers in the Southgate Meijer parking lot on Saturday, June 27, authorities said.
Southgate police officers were dispatched to the Meijer at 16300 Fort St. at about 3:45 p.m. for “an alleged retail fraud,” according to a news release from Southgate Police Chief Mark Mydlarz.
When the officers arrived and located the suspects, a 34-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, in the parking lot, the man displayed a sharp object and advanced toward the officers. One officer fired at least one round, striking the man, the news release said.
Officers then performed life-saving measures, and the man was taken to a local hospital where he died. The woman was taken into custody without further incident, the news release said.
No officers were hurt during the altercation.
The shooting took place during the annual Fort Street Cruise, an event where exotic and vintage car owners drive their vehicles through several Downriver communities, including Southgate, and spectators line up along Fort Street to watch.
The investigation has been turned over to the Michigan State Police, the news release said. The officer involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Southgate police officer kills man after alleged shoplifting incident
Reporting by Adrienne Roberts, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Adrienne Roberts, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
