DETROIT (WXYZ) — During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison announced that a female officer has been placed on "no gun" duty after ballistic reports found she had hit two bystanders while firing at an armed individual while responding to a block party in June.
The officer will remain on that status while the investigation continues. Bettison says they will submit a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in the near future. The request is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. The department will not make a recommendation on any charges. Any charging decision will be made at the discretion of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
The incident occurred while the officer was responding to a shooting around 1:15 a.m. on June 1 on Trinity Street near Florence Street, where a party took place.
Related Video: Watch the press conference with Chief Todd Bettison below:
Officers heard gunshots during a traffic stop blocks away, left and responded to the shooting scene. While on their way there, they were notified that several 911 calls came in.
When officers arrived, the shooting was still active.
“They encountered an individual who’s been reported to have possession of a firearm, and an officer-involved shooting took place,” Cmdr. Michael McGinnis said at the time.
Four people were shot, police said in June. Today, Bettison said two of them were unintentionally shot by the officer when she confronted a suspect armed with a handgun. That determination was determined through testing of the bullets that truck the woman, a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old.
Investigators found 93 shell casings at the scene Bettison said today.
"There were well over 100 people at this location. We know that four of them were shot. The investigation is very complex,” then Chief James White said in a June news conference. “Ninety-three shell casings that we're running through NIBEN right now to see the connectivity of those shell casings."
Related Video: Watch the June press conference below:
Eight guns were recovered, including an AK-style rifle, police said at the time.
“So this investigation is going to require a lengthy amount of effort on our part to determine what occurred and have more answers for you,” McGinnis said in June.
