Prosecutor says fatal Wayne police shooting of John Zook Jr. was justified, declines charges
WAYNE, Mich. (FOX 2) - No charges will be filed against the Wayne police officers who shot and killed John Zook Jr. earlier this year, the Wayne County Prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Police said Zook, 40, called 911 on himself and informed the operator that he was in the midst of a mental health crisis and was off his medications on June 18. When officers arrived, they found Zook in distress and armed with a kitchen knife.
Zook's 4-year-old son was inside the home when the incident took place at Newberry Square Apartments on Newberry Street and Michigan Avenue. Police also said that Zook had cut himself several times in a suicide attempt. The prosecutor's office said he had more than 50 stab wounds.
According to the prosecutor's office, the officers commanded Zook to drop the weapon for 15 seconds before telling him that he would be Tased.
Family, friends seek justice for man killed by Wayne officer during mental health crisis
Police say the man killed was holding a kitchen knife and charged at police when an officer fired shots. However, family members say the 40-year-old father did not charge at police and was asking for help during a mental health crisis.
One of the officers attempted to Tase Zook, but it did not take effect. That's when another officer, who was holding his police firearm in one hand, pulled out his Taser. The prosecutor's office said Zook approached the officers with the knife as the one armed with the Taser and gun fired both at the same time.
Zook was still holding the knife, leading to the officers shooting him four times, the prosecutor said. After the shooting, the officers rendered aid to Zook and removed his child, who had slept through the shooting, from the apartment.
After the shooting, Zook's family argued that they didn't think that he charged at police. They also demanded that body cam footage of the interaction be released. The video has never been publicly shared.
The prosecutor's office provided justification for the decision not to charge the officers, releasing a statement that read in part:
"In Michigan, police officers have the same right to self-defense and defense of others as any other person. Michigan’s legal standard to use deadly force in self-defense or the defense of others is whether the person using force is reasonably in fear of imminent death or great bodily harm upon them or someone nearby.
"At the time officers used force they objectively knew that Mr. Zook was armed with a knife, which would be legally considered a dangerous weapon. Mr. Zook was apparently actively suffering a mental health crisis, was not acting rationally, and just attempted to kill himself. He was not responding to commands while standing armed a very short distance from the officers. They also knew that Mr. Zook’s young child was present in the apartment with him.
"The officers did not use deadly force until Mr. Zook objectively posed an imminent threat to their safety when he came toward them after unsuccessfully trying to use a Taser to disarm him. The facts and evidence in this case show that shooting was justified and the officers acted in lawful self-defense under Michigan law."
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