Man shot by Shelby Township officers wanted police to kill him, sheriff says
Sheriff finishes investigation into Shelby Township police shooting
During a press conference, the Macomb County Sheriff shared findings of his office's investigation into a shooting involving a Shelby Township police officer and showed body cam footage. He said the officers followed their training and acted appropriately when they shot a man armed with a knife.
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - An armed man shot by Shelby Township police officers earlier this month told police that he wanted police to kill him, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said.
Miles Farish, 30, is accused of stabbing his mother 14-16 times while she was sleeping at Shelby Oaks Apartments on Jan. 9. She survived the attack.
Farish then fled on foot and called 911. Wickersham said Farish told the dispatcher that he wanted police to kill him or he would kill them.
When police arrived at the scene, Farish is accused of charging them with a knife raised. Wickersham shared body camera footage Wednesday of officers repeatedly telling Farish to drop the knife while he continued to approach them.
Officers attempted to Tase him twice, but the Taser did not take effect. This is when two officers fired at him. Of the 18 shots fired, six hit Farish.
A Shelby Township police officer Tasing Farish
"He was bent on coming at law enforcement. In his comments and even in his actions, he wanted law enforcement to take actions against him and shot," Wickersham said.
Farish survived and was taken to a hospital after the officers rendered aid.
"It was a textbook situation," Wickersham said of officers' reactions. "They used great restraint. They used all of their training."
He was first charged with assault with intent to murder. Three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and three counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer were later added.
Farish's bond was set at $2 million cash.
His only previous contacts with police include being reported as a missing person and a traffic violation. Authorities also did not discover any history of known mental health issues.
Wickersham said both officers who fired shots, one who has been with the department since August 2022 and another who started with Shelby Township in February 2022, have both been cleared of wrongdoing. They will be back on the job on Friday.
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