Friends: Man killed by police was 'totally out of character'

DETROIT (WJBK) - A night of drinking turned into a terrifying then deadly situation for neighbors in a west side Detroit apartment building after a man was shot and killed by police.

"He acted wild man. It was bold. It was real bold," said Devon Ervin.

Friends of 43-year-old Lamont Johnson say they'd been hanging out at a nearby home, drinking and having a good time Wednesday night, but that's when Ervin says that Johnson started acting aggressively and inappropriately touching his mother.

"It was just too rough and I asked him to calm down, and he ignored that and he took it in offense. He left out in a rage," he said.

Friends say then, he came back with his gun, threatening the group.

"There was a point where he pulled the gun on me and I had to talk him down, 'it's cool, just go home'", said Derrick Myers.

Johnson's family and friends say they have never seen Johnson act this violent and out of control. They say he had a blank stare on his face.

"He pointed the gun inside the house through the window. He was just totally out of character," Myers said.

Neighbors say he left then came back with a knife, then left again. Neighbors thought he was gone for good and the police arrived. Myers says right after the officers turned the corner to leave, Johnson showed up again.

Friends say police called for Johnson, who had his gun in his holster, to put his hands up, but they say he wouldn't and appeared to reach for his gun. Police then shot him several times in the chest, killing him. Detroit Police Chief James Craig says he closely reviewed their body camera footage. One of the officers has only out of the academy two weeks.

"It appears in my personal review of the video that his body began to turn and he was grabbing for his weapon," Craig said.

But Johnson's family says they need more answers. They say Johnson was always a very loving person. The Navy veteran left behind eight children, and one of them is a police officer.

"It's just a bad situation that he's gone because just like I said, he's got kids and a family and he's going to be missed," Myers said.

As a vigil will be held Thursday night to remember his life, friends say they're just thankful no one else was hurt or worse.

"The police had to take the initiative to protect themselves also. And us too," Myers said.