EAST LANSING, Mich. — The family and attorneys of Isaiah Kirby, the 21-year-old Michigan State University senior shot and killed by East Lansing police last month, have released graphic photographs of his body to highlight what they describe as the devastating impact of the shooting.
Due to the extremely graphic nature of these images, we are not publishing them.
In the statement accompanying the photographs, Kirby’s mother says she counted at least 17 gunshot wounds, including multiple wounds to his back, when she was able to view his body. She says the decision to release the photos came after viewing what their attorney described as a “highly edited” police video and after hearing remarks from a city council member the family believes misrepresented what happened.
East Lansing Police say body camera footage of the shooting will be released later this week, along with a narrated timeline of the incident.
Press Conference with Greater Lansing NAACP
The release of the photographs follows Tuesday’s press conference held by Kirby’s family alongside the Greater Lansing NAACP.
Kirby, 21, was shot and killed by multiple East Lansing police officers near the intersection of Abbot and Lake Lansing roads just after 6 p.m. on April 15. Police say the shooting happened after Kirby stabbed a man who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
At the press conference, Kirby’s mother described the grief of losing her firstborn son just days before his 22nd birthday and weeks after the family had visited him on campus for a March Madness game. She said Kirby was excited about a job interview in Texas and was on track to graduate later in April.
WATCH: Kirby Family Calls for Transparency in Officer-Involved Shooting
She called on East Lansing Police and Michigan State Police to provide truth and transparency, urging law enforcement agencies to review and strengthen procedures for less lethal techniques. She questioned why deadly force was used against her son and noted that, as of the press conference, no one from the East Lansing City Council, the mayor’s office, the prosecutor’s office, the attorney general’s office or the governor’s office had reached out with condolences — although the MSU president had.
The family’s attorney said the shooting left Kirby’s body with at least 17 gunshot wounds and forced the family to make the heartbreaking decision to cremate him. She also criticized what she described as delays, denial of access to information, and a lack of transparency since his death.
Police Statement
East Lansing Police had initially planned to release a narrated timeline of the April 15 incident but later expanded those plans to include additional footage. In a statement Tuesday, police said that after redactions are complete, they will release video showing the officer-involved shooting and the aid rendered to both the stabbing victim and Isaiah Kirby.
Police also confirmed they do not have footage of the stabbing itself or material from other responding agencies, including Michigan State Police. After MSP completes its investigation, ELPD plans to conduct its own internal review.
On the day of the shooting, police say they responded to reports of a theft at a nearby business that escalated into a stabbing. Officers say Kirby ran toward them with a knife and refused repeated commands to drop it, prompting them to open fire.
The stabbing victim, Douglas Mielock, was critically injured. At Tuesday’s city council meeting, a family member said Mielock was attacked from behind as he was getting into his car after a haircut.
The officers who fired their weapons remain on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings. Michigan State Police are leading the investigation.
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