Chief Craig addresses rumors that swirled online after man shot and killed by police

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit police chief James Craig is addressing the rumors that swirled online Friday afternoon after Detroit police officers shot and killed a man. 

Craig says those rumors fanned the flames of the crowd that gathered and began marching near where Hakim Littleton died. But, shortly after Craig released video showing that Littleton fired at officers first, the crowd dispersed. 

Craig says he wishes people cared more about the rash of violence over the July 4th weekend that led police to that situation on San Juan Drive and W. McNichols Road, to make the initial arrest Friday afternoon. It was while a suspect was being arrested for that previous shooting that Littleton shot at officers. 

Littleton was watching the suspect being arrested when video shows he opened fire on Detroit police, narrowly missing an officer's head. This happened Friday afternoon. By Friday evening, a crowd swelled at the scene to protest. 

Someone falsely claimed on social media that the officers killed an unarmed black man. The rumor on social media went like this, according to Craig:  

"It went from 15 shots being fired on this suspect who was unarmed and just seated on his front porch. So where's the responsibility? What does the angry mob have to say when they see a video that just absolutely refutes that? What do they say about it?"

While police search for the person who led the charge on social media, Chief Craig says the false reports fanned the flames of the protests. Armed with railroad spikes and bottles, several officers were hurt.  

"There were individuals that came apart, to do what? Attack police officers. Attack police officers, for what? And you don't have all the facts. Some folks were armed with railroad spikes once again, bricks were thrown, empty liquor bottles. One of our commanders that was at the scene sustained an injury being hit with a bottle."

By 6 p.m. Friday, the crowd swelled as quickly as the rumors. Chief Craig's office told FOX 2 in that hour that a video would soon be released showing that Littleton was armed and that he did shoot at officers before they returned fire.

Chief Craig was quick to not just say but show that the shooting was justified.  

Craig also says, now that the team is further into the investigation, that evidence shows Littleton fired five times at officers, not four as previously thought. 

The chief is now leaving some of these protesters with a message.  

"People of Detroit are sick and tired of these outsiders coming into our city, trying to destroy what we all have worked hard to maintain. They're tired of it and as I've said early on, many weeks ago, go home and protest."

The chief says as soon as the record was set straight and the video was released, most of the protesters went home.