Family of man slain by police files $50M lawsuit

DETROIT >> The family of Porter Burks, a Black man fatally shot during an early morning confrontation with Detroit police, is suing the city for $50 million, their lawyer announced Tuesday.

Five unnamed officers also are named in the wrongful death lawsuit filed Tuesday by attorney Geoffrey Fieger. It claims gross negligence and assault and battery, among other things.

Burks’ Oct. 2 death was recorded by police body cameras as officers pleaded with him to drop a knife he was carrying. They initially were called to a home on the west side about a knife-wielding man who was having a mental health crisis and spoke to a man who identified himself as Burks’ brother. The man said Burks had slashed the tires on his car.

“Drop the knife for me, man. Come here real quick. You’re OK,” a member of the Detroit Police Department’s crisis intervention team can be heard telling Burks. “You’re not in any trouble. Can you just talk to me and drop the knife?”

Burks — who police say had schizophrenia — was shot as he sprinted toward officers from the middle of the street. Police officials have said 38 shots were fired in three seconds. Burks was struck 19 times, according to an autopsy report provided Tuesday by Fieger.