Review finds police did not commit criminal offenses in St. Clair Shores shooting

In a report released last Friday, the Michigan Department of Attorney General stated that it did not find evidence to seek criminal charges against the police officers involved in the 2018 fatal shooting of St. Clair Shores resident Theoddeus Gray.

Gray was shot by officers of the St. Clair Shores Police Department on Nov. 4, 2018 at the Lakeland Manor Banquet Hall in St. Clair Shores. A police K9 was also killed during the incident.

Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office agreed to review the case after the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office cleared the St. Clair Shores officers of any wrongdoing.

“This report is part of my office’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” Nessel said. “We never want the response of law enforcement to escalate into lethal use of force. However, when that does occur, our job is to obtain and review all evidence before deciding whether any criminal wrongdoing took place according to existing law. In this particular case, the evidence suggests that the actions of the St. Clair Shores police officers do not warrant criminal charges."

Based upon the evidence, the report indicates Gray was causing a disturbance by brandishing a handgun at the banquet hall, causing some people there to fear for their safety. When police arrived, Gray ignored their requests to talk and their commands to stop. When fleeing from police, Gray used his weapon to fire a round at the officers, who then returned fire, ultimately resulting in Gray’s death. 

The report was completed in April and continued through internal review processes in the following weeks.