Prosecutor: No charges for police in fatal Detroit shooting
A prosecutor said Wednesday she has decided not to charge Detroit officers in the fatal shooting of a Black man who was recorded by police body cameras as he shot at an officer. The July 10 shooting of Hakim Littleton was in self-defense, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. He was shot after Detroit officers investigating a July 5 gang-related shooting that left three people dead and five wounded stopped an acquaintance of Littleton’s on the city’s west side.
“The officers in this case acted with lawful self-defense of self and others and thus there will be no charges in this particular case,” Worthy said. “We want to be as transparent as possible. The facts and evidence are on our side.”
The acquaintance didn’t resist while being taken into custody on a narcotics warrant and police cameras showed Littleton, 20, initially appearing calm, even raising his hands before suddenly reaching into his pocket, pulling out a semi-automatic pistol, pointing and shooting it at an officer as they faced each other.
Soon afterward, dozens of protesters converged at the site of the shooting, yelling at police and chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Defund DPD!” The shooting came as demonstrations were being held in Detroit and other cities following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Detroit police Chief James Craig has said the officer closest to Littleton hadn’t even had a chance to pull his own weapon before the shooting started. A number of shots were fired over a span of seconds. Craig said Littleton continued to fire after he fell to the ground.
Littleton was shot once in the head and three times in the thighs. No officers were wounded.