Fraser officers cleared after 15-year-old boy fatally shot by police, sheriff says

The three Fraser, Michigan, police officers who were on a domestic dispute call when a 15-year-old was fatally shot have been cleared in the investigation and will return to duty.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham gave that report on Wednesday, following up on the May 30 incident at the home of the teen and his grandmother, who had guardianship of the boy. The Macomb County Sheriff's Office had been tasked with investigating whether the city police department acted within the law.

"This is an emotional investigation," Wickersham said. "The actions were proper, were correct, under the law, even though the outcome is tragic."

Wickersham said the circumstances started about 2:30 p.m. when police responded to a report of a domestic dispute at the home on Breezeway Street in Fraser. When officers from the Fraser Department of Public Safety arrived, the teen had left the home, but he was found nearby and taken to the police station.

The sheriff said officers tried to find another place for him to stay, but were unable, and he was taken back home.

The grandmother went to a neighbor's home about 5:30 p.m. to make another 911 call. Wickersham played a recording of the conversation between the grandmother and the 911 dispatcher as she explained her grandson's behavior.

This time, three officers went to the home. They were a five-year veteran, a six-year veteran and a new officer who was in field training with just a few months in the role.

The sheriff's office handled the investigation into the shooting circumstances. 

Preliminary findings issued earlier by the sheriff's office said that the individual was armed with a knife and that body-worn camera footage shows that officers had used tasers during the confrontation. Wickersham showed bodycam video clips and photos that included views of the teen holding a knife, his shouts to police officers to "leave me alone," and one of the officers pleading for him to "drop the knife."

The scenes, the sheriff added, are "very hard to watch."

Wickersham also said investigators determined from the video clips that the teen had approached the officer in training at one point, very close to the officer.

One of the veteran officers fired his weapon four times during the confrontation, with three of the bullets striking the teen. 

The teen died at a nearby hospital as a result of his injuries. 

The officer who shot the teen was placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation by the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, authorities said. Wickersham said that the officer will be back on duty soon; the other two on that call have already returned to duty.

"After reviewing the evidence, it is determined this shooting was justified and conformed to state law and departmental policies. All officers will be cleared," the sheriff said.