8 protesters arrested after the death of Hakim Littleton

DETROIT - Just hours after Detroit Police officers were involved in a fatal shooting of Hakim Littleton, Police Chief James Craig released dash and body cam footage of the shooting, in an effort to be transparent. 

“It was so important for us to get this information out as soon as we can,” Chief Craig said. “I know we’re in a very difficult time, not just here, but across the country and I asked repeatedly to give us a chance.”

It started as a drug arrest at San Juan and McNichols on Friday. Littleton wasn’t the one being arrested, however, he is seen pulling a gun and firing it four times at point blank range at officers, somehow missing them. 

Police then immediately returned fire. Four shots hit Littleton as he was taken down and killed. 

After the shooting, false rumors started to spread on social media, that Littleton was unarmed. This struck a protest, a march and a clash with police outside of the 12th precinct. 

After police say they were pelted with rocks and other projectiles at the protest, some protesters were arrested. 

While the video of the arrests and shooting was released on Friday, not all protesters were satisfied with the claims that the shooting was unavoidable. 

“That situation should never have been the claim in the first place,” said Alison Laske, a protester. “We need to organize our public safety, so that the public is actually safe and somebody who was just an innocent bystander didn’t end up dead at the end of the day.”