The East Lansing Police Department released a narrative timeline Friday of the officer-involved shooting that led to the death of 21-year-old Michigan State University student Isaiah Kirby.
The release comes one month after the incident, and one week after the initial planned release of footage. The release was delayed to include additional footage. The attorney representing the Kirby family says the video shows a use of "deadly force that was neither reasonable nor legally justified."
The video was narrated by Police Chief Jennifer Brown. The video contains graphic content, and viewer discretion is advised.
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the Kirby family for their loss,” she said at the beginning of the video.
The narrative timeline featured three 911 calls — one reporting an initial theft and two related to a fight in a parking lot near Lake Lansing and Abbot roads.
According to the first caller, a suspect allegedly stole food from Marco’s Pizza and left for Biggby’s across the road. The caller said the suspect did not appear to have a weapon, but that they started fighting with someone in the parking lot.
The other two calls were regarding the alleged fight in the parking lot, where 64-year-old attorney Douglas Mielock was stabbed.
“I want to wish Mr. Mielock a full and speedy recovery,” Brown said in the video.
The timeline also included cellphone footage from a witness inside Biggby’s. The video began after the stabbing took place. ELPD said it has no footage of the stabbing itself.
ELPD released redacted body camera footage of the four officers involved in the shooting, as well as the officers' names and terms of service.
The officers involved were Field Training Officer Beck Martin, who’s been with ELPD for three years; Officer Brennan Surman, two years; Officer Benjamin Saylor, one year; and Officer Zane Johnson Chasteen, three months. Chasteen was paired with Martin.
The video shows the officers arriving at the scene. The suspect then runs south on Abbot Road toward the officers with what appears to be a knife in his hand. The suspect did not respond to calls for him to drop the knife, and the officers fired.
The Kirby family was shown unredacted footage of the incident prior to the release of the narrative timeline. The family’s attorney, Teresa A Caine Bingman, released a statement on May 15.
“After reviewing multiple complete, unedited body camera footage, dash camera footage and eyewitness videos, it is clear that Isaiah Kirby was met with an immediate and overwhelming use of deadly force,” Bingman wrote. “Within moments of arriving on the scene, East Lansing police officers did not use non-lethal options and immediately fired more than 20 rounds.”
One officer had readied a 40 mm foam round, which is used to incapacitate and de-escalate a situation, but other officers had fired before the round was shot.
Officers were shown to be providing medical attention to the suspect after removing the knife from his hand as well as the victim of the stabbing.
“This is a tragic situation that has impacted both families, the East Lansing Police Department and our entire community,” Brown said. “The East Lansing Police Department is committed to full transparency regarding this incident.”
Brown said the ELPD is cooperating with the Michigan State Police investigation into the shooting.
According to Bingman’s statement, the Kirby family “remains committed to pursuing the truth, accountability and justice for Isaiah Kirby.”
