Rally demands Detroit police release officer names in fatal shooting of Porter Burks
Rally held for DPD to release officer names in Porter Burks fatal shooting
The shooting that killed Porter Burks happened three weeks ago after a trained officer had tried to negotiate with the 20-year-old. Police say when he came at the officers, he was shot at 38 times, and hit 15.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A rally was held Wednesday urging the release of police officer names involved in the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man who had been suffering a mental health crisis.
The shooting that killed Porter Burks happened three weeks ago after a trained officer had tried to negotiate with the 20-year-old. Police say when he came at the officers, he was shot at 38 times, and hit 15.
"If that was a civilian on the streets shooting like that, they would have been arrested," said one protester. "So why are those officers not arrested?"
"We are demanding today that the names of the five officers that executed Porter Burks be released now, because they need to be held accountable," said another person. "They should not be walking free. They need to be fired and jailed."
Detroit police told FOX 2 that the names of the officers will not be released as the investigation continues. Earlier this month DPD held a press conference and released body camera footage of the incident.
Related: Family of Porter Burks to sue Detroit police department, officers involved in 20-year-old's shooting
The family says they called 911 Saturday night and Sunday morning because Burks had a knife. The family says Burks didn't attack them but had slashed the tires of his brother's car.
Around 5 a.m. on Oct. 2, police responded to the family's 911 calls about Burks. They said he was armed and they were concerned for other people's safety. He was also carrying a folding knife, which White said had an 8-inch blade on it.
Video released by Detroit Police shows the conversation with the officer and the family plus video of the encounter with Burks. White said the officer who was talking with Burks was with the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), which goes through mental crisis training and de-escalation techniques.
Video showed the officer extending his hand in front of him, which White said was part of his training to show Burks that he was not a threat.
The officer asked him to drop the knife multiple times and asked Burks what he wanted.
Video shows Detroit Police trying to talk Porter Burks into dropping knife before shooting, killing him as he ran at them
Porter Burks, 20, was shot and killed by Detroit Police on Sunday, Oct. 1. On Tuesday, chief James White released bodycam video of the encounter as they tried to convince him to put a knife down. When he ran at officers, he said they had no choice but to shoot him.
Other officers asked him what he needed as he stood in the middle of the street, about 20 feet away from the officers as they urged him to drop the knife.
After about four minutes of trying to convince him to drop the knife, he starts to run toward the officers, who then shot him when he was about six feet away, investigators say.
DPD Chief James White said the officers were in fear for their lives.
Police say Burks had schizophrenia and stabbed three family members - including a 7-year-old - the past three years. At one point, he was committed to a mental health institution, which he later escaped from. It took four officers to take him into custody and multiple Taser deployments during that escape.