Wayne County Prosecutor Declares Wayne Police Shooting of Suicidal Man Justified, No Charges Filed

A Wayne County Prosecutor has deemed the police shooting of John Zook Jr., a 40-year-old man in a mental health crisis, to be a justified act of self-defense. The decision announced today, concludes that no charges will be filed against the officers who responded to a 911 call on June 18, according to

ClickOnDetroit

.

Responding to Zook’s call where he reported a suicide attempt, Wayne police officers found him suffering from multiple self-inflicted stab wounds. Zook, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia and out of medication, held a kitchen knife and failed to comply with demands to drop the weapon for 15 seconds. When non-lethal measures with a Taser proved ineffective, the volatile situation escalated as Zook then approached the officers.

An officer proceeded to deploy both his Taser and firearm when Zook closed in on them. As

The Detroit News

reported, Zook was shot four times after advancing toward the police with a knife in hand. The prosecutor’s statement iterated that Zook “objectively posed an imminent threat to their safety” prompting the officers to use deadly force.

Zook’s young child, present in the apartment during the incident, was unharmed and unaware, having slept through the events. Post-shooting, the family demanded the release of body camera footage, footage that has since not been made public. Contrasting the prosecutor’s justification, the family expressed doubt about the official narrative. John Zook Jr. had charged at the police, they argue, a sentiment echoed in an article by

FOX 2 Detroit

. Nonetheless, the statement by Prosecutor Kym Worthy’s office maintains the shooting was a justifiable act of self-defense under Michigan law.

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