Man shot during armed confrontation with police in Brighton

BRIGHTON TWP, Mich. (WJBK) - A Brighton man hospitalized after being shot by police.

FOX 2 has learned sheriff's deputies and state troopers were performing a welfare check but when they got there a man came out with a gun - and refused to drop it.

It happened in a normally quiet rural area of old US 23 and Spencer Road, in Brighton Township. 

Christian Horning works at Landscape Supplies, across from the shooting.

"At about 9:30, 10:30 last night and shooting happened towards the chiropractor just to go over here," he said. "I heard some bullets or shots fired."

Michigan State Police and Livingston County deputies conducted a welfare check Tuesday night on 36-year-old Ian Little.  He had a pistol.

According to police, Little walked toward the officers, failed to obey commands to put the weapon down, and then pointed his gun at the officers. 

The officers fired and struck Little.

"They shot him seven times, they emptied the clip," said Mark Bouton, the suspect's boss at Tri County Framing.

FOX 2: "Why would someone want to check on him?"

"Because of a post he was putting on Facebook to the general public," said Bouton. "He said someone should come and get my dog, and that kind of sparks you."

People who know Little said that he had just broken up with his wife last Friday and that he may have had been drinking. 

"And if he was drinking, he was in his own house," Bouton. "But what happened after that I don't know."

FOX 2 spoke to Ian Little's mother who did not want to go on camera. She said her son did have some mental issues; she was worried that he might try and kill himself, but was surprised about the confrontation.

As far as his condition, she was told that he is in intensive care after going through surgery.

Little was transported to U of M hospital in Ann Arbor with non-life-threatening injuries. He is currently in police custody. 

"He's a good guy," Bouton said. "He's been in trouble, and he is cleaning up his act. He's come a long way from being homeless to the house he has."