DETROIT – Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office found that Porter Burks was struck by 19 of the 38 shots directed at him by Detroit police.
Officials say that there were two shots to his head, six to his chest, five to his left arm and more.
On Oct.2, around 5 a.m., Burks, 20, has killed after being shot by Detroit police. Burks’ family called police for a mental health check as the 20-year-old had a pocket knife on him and they didn’t want him in the house with it.
Detroit police say that when they arrived at the scene that Burks wouldn’t put the knife down. Attorney Geoffrey Fieger said that police knew Burks and his mental health struggles and that it was not necessary for them to open fire on him.
“This is the definition of excessive force. Was absolutely no need to use deadly force in this connotation,” said Fieger. “There must have been 1,000 things they could do other than shooting him.”
Burks’ family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against Detroit police and the five unnamed officers that were called to the scene on Oct. 2.
In addition to the $50 million, the lawsuit demands changes in how Detroit handles people suffering from a mental health crisis.
Below is a statement from Detroit Police:
Related: Activists demand the names of Detroit officers involved in fatal shooting of Porter Burks
Below is a list of Wayne County resources for residents seeking access to mental healthcare:
- DWIHN Access Helpline: www.dwihn.org, 800-241-4949
- ReachUsDetroit: Reachusdetroit.org, 313-488-HOPE
- Mental Health First Aid: 888-490-9698
- Veteran Navigator: 313-585-0061