DETROIT – A man walking along Telegraph Road was hit and killed Saturday by a driver trying to escape the Detroit police.
ORIGINAL STORY: Pedestrian fatally struck by vehicle fleeing Detroit police on city’s west side
Police said started as a surveillance mission but turned into a chaotic and deadly scene along Telegraph at Seven Mile and Eight Mile roads. Police officers were tracking a man who had stolen a car.
“He didn’t have much care or concern for anybody’s safety tonight,” said assistant police chief David LeValley.
The 39-year-old man who allegedly stole the car was parked at a gas station on Seven Mile Road when police officers approached him.
“He ended up hitting the gas," LeValley said. “He struck one of the officers. That officer did fire a shot at the individual.”
The suspect was shot in his stomach while sitting inside his car but was able to drive northbound on Telegraph Road. The vehicle came to a stop about a mile away at Eight Mile Road.
“He lost control of his vehicle and struck a pedestrian that was walking on Telegraph,” LeValley said.
The pedestrian was a 40-year-old man walking along the road. He was killed in the collision.
“It’s unfortunate that the gentleman that was walking down telegraph lost his life," LeValley said.
Police officers blocked off both crime scenes for hours to collect evidence and talk to witnesses.
The driver and the police officer were taken to the hospital.
Police have opened an internal investigation to see if the use of force was warranted by the officer who was struck by the car.