DETROIT – Members of the National Action Network are demanding that Detroit police release the names of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Porter Burks that happened on Oct. 2.
Burks was suffering from a mental health emergency in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police said they had a member of its crisis intervention team on the scene and tried to de-escalate the situation.
Police say Burks charged at them with a knife, and that is when officers opened fire multiple times.
Detroit police chief James White said during a news conference on Oct. 4 that officers rendered first aid to Burks and brought him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The officers involved are on administrative leave until the conclusion of the investigation.
Watch -- Flashpoint: Detroit Police Chief James White speaks about mental health and policing
White told Local 4 that his force is swamped with mental health calls and that mental health facilities are badly needed.
Below is a statement from Detroit Police of a protest that took place on Oct. 10.
Related -- Family of Porter Burks, man killed by Detroit police, seek justice
Below is a list of Wayne County resources for residents seeking access to mental healthcare:
- DWIHN Access Helpline: www.dwihn.org, 800-241-4949
- ReachUsDetroit: Reachusdetroit.org, 313-488-HOPE
- Mental Health First Aid: 888-490-9698
- Veteran Navigator: 313-585-0061
More -- 5 Detroit officers fire 38 shots, killing man with knife during mental health check