CAROL A. SIEM.

ON
INGHAM COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

L 1sA M cCORM ICK JO HN J. D EWANE

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor

April 23 , 2018

D/F/Lt. Tom Declercq

D/Sgt. Craig Carberry
First District Headquarters, Special Investigation Section
7119 Canal Road
Lansing Ml 48913

RE: MSP Incident No: 010-000198-18

MSP Investigation re: Officer Sarah Willson, Sergeant Jason Spoelma and
Detective Michael Schulte

Dear D/F/Lt. DeClercq and D/Sgt. Carberry:

On March 31 , 2018, the Lansing Police Department had an Officer Involved Shooting
(OIS) , which resulted in the wounding of Michael Magik Jones (accused). Lansing Police
Department requested the Michigan State Police (MSP) to investigate the incident. They
arrived on the scene and began a thorough and independent investigation of this matter.

The investigation was led by Detective First Lieutenant Tom DeClercq and Detective
Sergeant Craig Carberry. The investigative reports and accompanying evidentiary
materials were submitted to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office for an independent
review to determine if criminal charges should be sought against Officer Sarah Willson ,
Sgt. Jason Spoelma , and Detective Michael Schulte.

The investigation led by D/F/Lt. DeClercq and D/Sgt. Carberry involved extensive
interviews with police officers of the Lansing Police Department, review and analysis of the
body camera footage , in-car camera recordings , radio traffic, and helicopter footage.

Below is a summary of what led to the Officer Involved Shooting incident:

On March 31 , 2018, at approximately 10:10 AM , Officer Sarah Willson and Officer Ryan
Kellom were dispatched to 1213 Mary Avenue #8 regarding a shots fired complaint. A
witness indicated that she was in a different apartment and heard a gunshot outside her
window. She looked out her window and observed a black male wearing a gray sweatshirt
and blue jeans running west through parking lots towards her building. Officers arrived on

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the scene and started interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence. The accused had
already fled the scene on foot. While officers were still at the location of the incident,
dispatch advised that a caller could see the possible accused walking northbound on
Martin Luther King Boulevard (MLK). Officer Willson and Officer Kellom advised dispatch
that they would respond to check the area. They arrived in separate patrol vehicles.

When officers responded to the location , they saw a subject matching the description of
the accused walking northbound on the east sidewalk. Officer Kellom positioned his patrol
vehicle in the far east lane of MLK, which situated him approximately 20 yards from the
accused. Officer Kellom exited his vehicle and told the accused to "come here". At this
time, Officer Willson was behind Officer Kellom and she also exited her vehicle.

Knowing the accused was possibly armed , Officer W illson with her handgun drawn gave
two (2) loud verbal commands "Lansing Police Stop, Stop". At this point, the accused
started to run away from the officer. In stride, he turned and pointed his gun and fired at
Officer Willson. Officer Willson then discharged her weapon more than once after the
defendant fired at her. Defendant then fled the scene. Officer Willson called dispatch for
backup , but lost sight of the accused.

A perimeter was established by the Lansing Police Department. MSP Aviation and the
Lansing Police Special Tactics and Rescue Team (S.T.A.R.T.) assisted with the search of
the accused . Six (6) officers from the Lansing Police Department assigned to the
S.T.A.R.T. team and one (1) medic were in a marked armored vehicle known as a Bearcat.
The helicopter was in the air searching for the accused. They notified the officers on the
ground that the accused was hiding behind the eastside of a building by Hazen Lumber.
Based on the information provided , Sergeant Wilcox proceeded down the alley between
two (2) buildings. As he drove down the alley, he could not see the accused . He drove all
the way up to a fence that was located at the end of the alley. Officers were informed that
the suspect was lying on the ground directly to the right of the Bearcat. As the Bearcat
passed , the accused started shooting at the officers. There were two (2) rounds located
right below the window of the front passenger door. Sergeant Spoelma and Detective
Michael Schulte discharged their weapons after the accused discharged his weapon.
Once officers determined the accused was down they proceeded out of the Bearcat and
secured him. Officers performed lifesaving medical care to the accused and he was
transported to the hospital without further incident.

The police have the right to use the force reasonable under the circumstances to effectuate
an arrest. The police may also take what action is reasonable to protect themselves, and
other officers, in the course of an arrest or attempted arrest. Delude v Raasakka, 391 Mich
296 (1974). The Lansing Police Department policy regarding the Use of Force states that
officers may use deadly force to protect any officer from what is reasonably believed to be
an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury. All the evidence shows the officers
discharged their weapons only after the accused discharged his weapon.
Based on a review of the police reports , the body camera footage , the helicopter footage ,
and the in-car video footage , there was no other reasonable means to avert the threat.
Therefore, I conclude that Officer Sarah Willson , Sergeant Jason Spoelma , and Detective
Michael Schulte acted reasonably when they discharged their weapons because they were
defending themselves against a reasonable threat of death and/or serious bodily injury
perpetrated by the accused. As such , no criminal charges will be pursued against any of
the officers involved.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

~ 'f/!v~)c_
Lisa McCormick
Chief Assistant Prosecutor

cc: Chief Michael Yankowski