SOUTHGATE, Mich. – A man died after he was shot by a Southgate police officer outside a Meijer store following a reported shoplifting call.
The shooting occurred on Saturday (June 27) when police were dispatched to the Meijer on Fort Street at about 3:45 p.m.
Officers said they responded quickly because additional law enforcement personnel were already in the area for the annual Downriver Cruise.
According to police, officers encountered a man and a woman walking toward them outside the store.
Officials said the man then lunged at officers while holding what police described as a “sharp object.”
Police said an officer fired multiple rounds, striking the man.
Officers said they immediately began providing lifesaving measures at the scene before the man was transported to a Metro Detroit hospital, where he later died.
Police have not released the man’s identity pending notification of his family.
The woman who was with the man was taken into custody.
Police have not said what charges, if any, she may face, nor have they confirmed the nature of her relationship with the man.
The shooting prompted a large law enforcement response that included Southgate police, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and Michigan State Police.
Investigators closed off part of the Meijer parking lot as officers processed the scene.
The investigation remains active, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
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