DETROIT – Nicki Burt got the call that no mother ever wants.
Burt and a family friend made the 240-mile drive from Youngstown, Ohio, to Detroit to find out what happened to her son, 31-year-old Jarelle Burt.
“I immediately jumped in the car and came up here, and I’ve been here since 11:20 this morning,” said Nicki.
The incident happened just after 10:30 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 18) on Kelly Road, near the area where 7 Mile Road turns into Moross Road.
According to the Detroit Police Department, members of the gang intelligence unit were conducting an investigation when they saw Jarelle, who appeared to be armed.
When officers approached him, Jarelle ran.
During the chase, police said that he dropped the gun, and an officer shot him when he went to pick it up.
The weapon eventually landed on the roof of a nearby building.
“Unfortunately, he picked that gun up and turned toward the officers. That’s not the best thing to do. Unfortunately,” Nicki said.
According to his mother, Jarelle was in town for a funeral and had gone to a bar with his girlfriend, and he has no prior ties to the city.
Since she arrived, she hasn’t been able to see her son and feels she has gotten the runaround from the hospital and police.
“I’ve not been able to see him. They won’t give me no update. They said he’s stable. As a mother, I would like to see my son, let him know that I’m here for him,” Nicki said.
When asked about the gun, she says that he does have a license to carry in Ohio, but doesn’t typically carry a weapon.
Nicki said that she thinks that this is a case of mistaken identity by the police, adding that the police called him by someone else’s name when they approached him.
She says that while she wants answers about how her son ended up being shot by police, there’s only one thing that she’s truly focused on right now.
“I just need to know what’s going on. Basically, I just want to see my son. I want to see him,” Nicki said.
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