EATON RAPIDS, Mich — A 30-year-old man died Tuesday night after being shot by an Eaton Rapids police officer following an attempted traffic stop that led to a foot chase.
- Police say the driver refused to stop during a traffic stop on South Main Street and crashed near Canal Street
- The man fled on foot and told the officer he had a gun before being shot during the encounter
- The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation
The incident began just before 10 p.m. when an officer attempted to stop a vehicle on South Main Street, according to the Eaton Rapids Police Department. Police say the driver refused to stop and crashed near the intersection of South Main and Canal streets.
WATCH: Eaton Rapids community reacts to fatal officer-involved shooting
Both the male driver and a female passenger fled the scene on foot. The officer pursued the man, who police say refused multiple commands and told the officer he had a gun. During the encounter, the officer shot the man.
The man was taken to Eaton Rapids Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The female passenger was located a few blocks away from the crash site.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Neighbors in the area expressed shock at the incident. Mike Knaggs said he arrived home to find police lights surrounding the scene.
"I saw it pretty first hand, got home, saw the lights, didn't know what was going on till this morning," Knaggs said.
Larry Nolan, another neighbor, described the shooting as uncommon for the area.
"It's a tragedy for the young man and his family, as well as for the officers involved," Nolan said. "Terrible way to end the year."
Knaggs noted that incidents can happen anywhere, regardless of community size.
"Things happen everywhere, small town, big town, things are gonna happen," Knaggs said.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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