Detroit police chief responds to shooting of deadly officer involved

DETROIT – Detroit Police Chief James Craig spoke to Local 4 News Saturday morning about the shooting death of a 20-year-old man that sparked protests and protests on the west side of the city.

The victim, Hakim Littleton, 20, was shot dead by police on Friday afternoon. Large crowds filled the streets hours later demanding answers and protests.

Speaking on Saturday morning, Craig addressed a question about why deadly force is such a widely used tactic in the police.

“As you saw in the video, our officers were fired. The next suspect was two or three feet away, and was pointing a gun at the officers’ heads. This hero who then quickly responded to try to mitigate the violence, ran, did not even have a chance to draw his weapon and was concerned for his safety and the safety of his companions. And you’re asking me how we respond to a situation like that, which was developing rapidly, incredible, ”said Craig.

He added that those are the kinds of conversations that can cause antagonism and incite riots.

“What do we say to that officer if he was shot? What do we say to the officer in Toledo, Ohio, who made the last sacrifice by going to a call,” Craig said.

During a press conference on Friday night, Craig criticized false information posted on social media about the shooting that he says incited violence.

There was a false report on social media that Littleton was shot 15 times.