Royal Oak police: Man shot, killed by officer had just stabbed mother, rushed officer

20-year-old man killed in officer-involved shooting

A police officer was involved in a shooting May 14, 2018 in Royal Oak. (WDIV)

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – A police officer was involved in a deadly shooting Monday morning on East Hudson Avenue between McClean and South Wilson avenues in Royal Oak. 

  • A live news conference is expected later this morning at the Royal Oak Police Department -- watch above

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Police identified 20-year-old Cody Reynolds, of Royal Oak, as the man killed in the shooting. No officers were injured.

Bullet shell casings were in the street as police had the corner blocked. The shooting happened about 3:30 a.m. 

Cody Reynolds

Police: Man stabbed mother, rushed officer

According Royal Oak police, officers were called to a home in the 1000 block of Hoffman for the report of a domestic assault. The 911 caller said she had been stabbed by her son. She also said her son struck his father in the head with a guitar. 

Officers encountered Reynolds walking away from the home, police said. An officer ordered him to the ground. Police said Reynolds told the officer he had just stabbed his mother. Police said he rushed the officer. 

"After closing the distance with the officer, Cody (Reynolds) very abruptly got on the ground, but then quickly rushed towards the officer in an aggressive manner," reads a statement from the Royal Oak Police Department. 

Police said the officer "fired at Cody as he was backing up, striking Cody." The officer administered CPR, police said. Reynolds was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

Reynolds' parents were also treated at the hospital for minor injuries, police said. The mother's stabbing injury is not life-threatening, police said. 

Reynolds was not armed at the time of the shooing, police said. A knife was found at the home. 

"There is no way the officer could have known that," said Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue.

Police said Reynolds was on probation for a 2017 conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing serious injury. 

O'Donohue said the officer who fired his weapon has been on the force for at least four years. The chief believes he was doing his job the right way Monday morning when he fired his weapon at the man. 

"Based on the preliminary investigation ... there is nothing that really jumps out as misconduct," O'Donohue said. 

The chief said there is video which captured part of the shooting. 

NEW: Video shows moments before man is fatally shot by Royal Oak police officer

Royal Oak police officers do not wear body cameras. 

"I don't think we really have a need for them right now, but that's something we look at every year," said O'Donohue. 

The chief said the officer will be placed on administrative leave during an investigation. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department is investigating this case. 

2nd deadly officer-involved shooting in Royal Oak this year

This is the second police officer-involved shooting in Royal Oak in the past two months. A man was shot and killed by Royal Oak police after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop on April 10.

"They're both very separate and distinct instances," O'Donohue said. "It's a challenge but we have to look at these separately."

The chief said that before April's deadly officer-involved shooting the city of Royal Oak had not had such an incident in 20 years. 

That case also remains under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. 

Watch the Royal Oak police chief's full Monday morning news conference here: 

A police officer was involved in a shooting May 14, 2018 in Royal Oak. (WDIV)
A police officer was involved in a shooting May 14, 2018 in Royal Oak. (WDIV)
A police officer was involved in a shooting May 14, 2018 in Royal Oak. (WDIV)

About the Authors

Nick joined the Local 4 team in February of 2015. Prior to that he spent 6 years in Sacramento covering a long list of big stories including wildfires and earthquakes. Raised in Sterling Heights, he is no stranger to the deep history and pride Detroit has to offer.

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