The Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan released body camera footage of a deputy-involved shooting earlier in the summer.
Two deputies went to a home in Mackinac County and approached James Avery Blevins, 39, who is seen holding a “long gun,” UpNorthLive reported on Aug. 24. He then appeared to point the gun at the deputies, and one of the deputies fired his weapon at him.
Blevins was struck in the hand, according to the local news website, and the footage shows him dropping to the ground.
“Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey!” the deputy in the video can be heard saying as the suspect levels the weapon. “Lay down, man,” the deputy then tells the suspect. “Why are you bringing a gun out here, man?” the deputy then asks the man, adding, “Where [are] you hurt at?”
The footage appears to show that Blevins was armed with a shotgun.
He was arrested and taken to McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital for the treatment of his injury.
The Michigan State Police and the Mackinac County Prosecutor’s Office found that deputies were justified in shooting at him. They resumed their duties after the shooting.
On July 19, Blevins pleaded guilty to three of the six charges against him, including felon in the possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and assault with a dangerous weapon, the report said. According to 9 and 10 News, he was sentenced to two and a half to five years in prison.
“We are happy that this matter is now concluded,” said Sheriff Scott Strait, according to TV-6. “Deputies train for this regularly and hope that they never are put in this situation. This could have ended very differently, this individual who chose to point a loaded shotgun at a deputy sheriff is very fortunate to be here and the quick reaction by the deputy clearly saved his own life.”
TV-6 reported that three charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
No other details were released in the incident.
Traffic Stops Dangerous for Police
In early August, a video was released by police in Pennsylvania, showing a man opening fire on two officers. One of the officers was critically wounded in the incident.
The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (pdf) says traffic stops are notoriously dangerous for police officers in the United States. The leading causes for officers being shot and killed in 2017 occurred when they were responding to domestic incidents and while conducting traffic stops, the group’s annual report says.
“The leading circumstances of firearms-related fatalities were officers responding to domestic disturbances and conducting traffic stops,” the memorial fund says.
And, according to the most recent figures published by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, “A greater percentage of male drivers (12 percent) than female drivers (8 percent) were stopped by police during 2011.” It adds: “In 2011, about 3 percent of traffic stops led to a search of the driver, the vehicle, or both. Police were more likely to search male drivers (4 percent) than female drivers (2 percent).”
From The Epoch Times