Preliminary exam date set for Officer Mohamed Said murder suspect

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Michael Lopez in court on Aug. 6, 2024

MELVINDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - The preliminary exam was set Tuesday for the man accused of killing Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said last month.

Michael Lopez, 44, was charged with murder of a police officer, possession of meth, possession of cocaine, and multiple weapons charges after the July 21 fatal shooting. He is charged as a four-time habitual offender.

Lopez will appear in Lincoln Park's 25th District Court on Aug. 26 for the hearing. Typically, a preliminary exam is set within 21 days of arraignment, but due to the nature of the case, the hearing date falls outside those parameters.

The case was moved out of 24th District Court in Melvindale after Judge Richard Page became emotional during Lopez's arraignment.

At the arraignment, the judge said the court held a moment of silence for Said earlier that week. Page also said that the 24th District Court rearranged its schedule to attend the fallen officer's funeral.

"With all that, it’s not appropriate that we continue to handle this case," Page said.

During a probable cause conference Tuesday, Lopez was again reprimanded to the Wayne County Jail.

What happened

Lopez is accused of killing Said while the officer investigated a suspicious person call Sunday morning.

Police said the officer was called to a car wash near Oakwood and Dix when he spotted Lopez with several bags but no vehicle. Police said the officer went to check to see if Lopez was homeless and needed help, but Lopez ran away.

Said chased Lopez, and there was a brief struggle. When Said Tased Lopez, he pulled out a gun and shot the officer before fleeing, police said.

Lopez was arrested Monday evening in Detroit after a tip led police to him. Prosecutors said Lopez had a knife in his possession, along with drugs, when he was caught in Detroit.