Family: Man who killed St. Clair Shores K9 officer had gun because of death threat

(WJBK) - The relatives of a man who had a gun at his baby shower and was killed by police say someone threatened him and he was just trying to protect his family.

The sister of Brittney Howard is trying to make sense of how Theo Gray, the father of her sister's unborn baby, could be killed by police at his own baby shower. It all started Sunday evening when she says someone threatened to kill Gray while he was at the Lakeland Manor Banquet Hall in St. Clair Shores.

His family claims the 29-year-old grabbed his gun and went outside to protect his family. That's when the owners of the banquet hall called police. Howard's sister says he tried to walk into the baby shower normally, but police said he had a gun and he took off running.

29-year-old ID'd as man killed by police after killing St. Clair Shores police K9

Police claim Gray ignored officer demands to drop his gun. That's when police sent their K-9 Axe after Gray. The sister says the police dog bit Gray in the back side and when Axe tried to bite him again, Gray shot and killed the dog. The cops pursued Gray, who continued to run from police. 

"The cops laid down and was shooting, aiming at him and they shot him more than 10 times," Howard's sister said.

She says he finally dropped. Gray was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Macomb County Sheriff's Department is investigating the case. In the meantime, Howard, who is 8 months pregnant, is struggling with it all.

"She is not doing good at all. She's very messed up. She can't even think right. She can't sleep, eat, nothing. I just feel so bad for my sister because this is her first baby and he was killed by a police officer," her sister said.

And she says the worst part is having to explain this someday to the baby on the way.

"What a terrible thing to tell we have to tell our niece. Wow your daddy got killed at your baby shower," she said.

Gray has a criminal history, serving two years' probation for drugs. The sheriff's office is not commenting on the case until the investigation is complete.