DETROIT – A teen was shot by an officer after fleeing a traffic stop and producing a handgun in a McDonald’s drive-thru on Detroit’s east side.
The shooting occurred on Tuesday (Oct. 21) at 9:42 p.m. on East 7 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue.
Officers from the Detroit police Gang Intelligence Unit said they stopped the Malibu vehicle for obscured license plates as part of increased traffic enforcement due to a high number of accidents in the area.
Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison provided details about the shooting, saying there were two female occupants inside the vehicle along with an 18-year-old sitting in the rear seat.
Police said the female driver consented to a vehicle search.
When officers attempted to remove the 18-year-old, police said he resisted and became combative.
Officers said they deployed a taser, but it was unclear if it was effective.
Police said the 18-year-old broke free, fled on foot, and produced the handgun, which was recovered at the scene.
Bettison said one officer fired a single shot, hitting the 18-year-old in the upper body.
The teen was transported to a Metro Detroit hospital and was in critical condition.
Bettison expressed sympathy for the suspect’s family but emphasized that officers must respond when threatened with a weapon.
Police said the two female occupants, whose ages were not revealed, remained on scene and were cooperating with investigators.
The shooting occurred near the southwest corner of the McDonald’s, just a short distance from the traffic stop location.
Bettison said officers involved are being interviewed, and body-worn camera footage is available.
Watch the full press conference below:
Previous report: