Veteran shot and killed in gunfire exchange at Mich. police station

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

The Southfield Police Department

/ WWJ Photo/Beth Fisher

(CBS/AP) SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - A 64-year-old military veteran was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with police officers at a police station Sunday, reports CBS Detroit.

Officials said Harold Joseph Collins walked into the building about 2:20 p.m. Sunday and used a .380-caliber handgun to confront an officer seated behind bulletproof glass.

"Based on the behavior of this individual, my opinion and the opinion of the investigating officers, is that this person was struggling with some very serious internal issues," said Southfield Police Chief Eric Hawkins.

"What's so unusual about this situation is that ... there were no words, whatsoever," Hawkins said. "The suspect approached the front desk officer and simply stared at the officer. I was told that the suspect appeared to be staring into the distance and not a word was said."

That officer sought cover and called for assistance. Other officers arrived from other parts of the building and ordered Collins to drop the weapon. Collins refused and gunfire was exchanged.

Collins later died at an area hospital.

Hawkins did not reveal the name of the sergeant who was wounded in the shoulder but said he was in stable condition Monday at a hospital. He said at least five officers were involved in the shooting but he would not reveal how many fired their weapons.

Surveillance video captured Sunday's shooting but that video is part of the investigation and was not released Monday.

Hawkins said Collins had no criminal record.

Hawkins stopped short of calling Collins' actions a suicide attempt, but made this appeal to the public:

"Monitor your family members, your close friends, for any changes, any radical changes in behaviors," said Hawkins. "Help your family and help your close friends to help themselves before an incident spirals out of control like the one we saw yesterday."

The 50-year-old officer who was struck in the left shoulder was expected to be released from the hospital soon.

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