DEARBORN, MI -- A protest is planned along Michigan Avenue in Dearborn this evening in response to a police shooting that killed 35-year-old Kevin Mathews, of Detroit, an unarmed mentally-ill man, the afternoon of Jan. 23.
The Rev. Charles Williams II, of the National Action Network, who's helping organize the rally, says there are key pieces of information he and relatives are asking for related to the fatal shooting.
Williams wants the officer's name, the release of body-camera, audio or dashboard-camera footage and is asking state police and federal law enforcement to get involved in the investigation to ensure transparency and a fair investigation.
Detroit police, who are investigating the homicide, and Dearborn police, who employ the officer, have separately made public commitments to transparency but have released few details about the officer or evidence in their possession.
Citing the ongoing investigation, neither agency has been willing to divulge whether audio or video recordings even exist, though Dearborn police confirmed their patrol vehicles are equipped with dashboard cameras and their officers with on-body microphones.
"On top of that, we believe this is an injustice," Williams told MLive on Monday. "We are looking for justice from our Wayne County prosecutor, who we do have a lot of faith in."
Matthews, according to Dearborn police, escaped after being suspected of a theft earlier the same day and was known to have an open arrest warrant for a probation violation. The officer on patrol spotted Matthews, who crossed the border from Dearborn into a Detroit backyard during a short foot pursuit. Because the killing occurred in Detroit, the Detroit Police Department has jurisdiction over the homicide investigation.
Matthews, whom relatives said suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, was involved in a physical altercation with the officer in a backyard prior to gunfire, according to an eye witness, Detroit Police Chief James Craig told George Hunter, of the Detroit News.
Craig said the officer's uniform was torn and muddy, and his gun holster loosened when backup arrived, according to The News.
"We have a lot of concerns, the first being that he had many interfaces with Dearborn police and Detroit police (in the past), and they just took him home to his parent," Williams said. "What made this different."
While police were quick to release information about Matthews' earlier run-in with Dearborn police and information about his open arrest warrant, "the police officer gets to hide in anonymity," Williams said. "That's not fair."
The officer is on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.
A clerk for the Redford Township 17th District Court confirmed Matthews had an outstanding warrant for drunk and disorderly conduct at the time of his death.
Previous charges of felony first-degree home invasion and domestic violence were filed against Matthews in Wayne County in 2008, although they were later dismissed. The reason for the dismissal wasn't immediately available in online court records. Matthews also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor "alcohol-related violations" in 2000, according to Wayne County 36th District Court records. He has no felony convictions in Michigan, according to online Michigan Department of Corrections records.
MLive couldn't immediately reach Dearborn police for comment Monday. Detroit police said there were no updates in the case and they have not been asked to provide crowd control at tonight's protest.
The protest is scheduled to begin about 6:30 p.m. outside the Kroger near Greenfield and Michigan Avenue in Dearborn.