LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Attorney General concluded its investigation in the review of the shooting death of Stephen Luis Romero, 33, of Lansing, without issuing charges against the officers involved who acted in self-defense.
The incident occurred on Dec. 1, 2023, when Lansing police were called to respond to a domestic violence incident involving a fired gun west of Bancroft Park between Lake Lansing Road and East Cesar East Chavez Avenue.
Officials say the first of several 911 calls from the neighborhood came from Romero’s wife, the victim, who informed the police that Stephen, her husband, was drunk, he had struck her, he had brandished his pistol at her, and she was alone in a car in the driveway of their home.
Officials said two officers from the Pansing Police Department arrived at the residence, found Stephen standing next to the open driver’s door of the car in the driveway, and instructed him to display his hands and get on the ground.
According to officials, Stephen showed his hands and knelt in his driveway. Officials say they instructed him to get on the ground with his face down.
Stephen did not comply and instead lifted his shirt to reveal a pistol in his waistband. After further instruction, Stephen reached for and grabbed his pistol from his waistband, causing both Lansing police officers Donovan Moore, Jeff Kurtz, and another unnamed officer to open fire.
Stephen lowered himself to the ground after being struck, but he again reached for the pistol, grabbed it, and removed it from his waistband, causing the officers to fire more shots.
Officials say lifesaving measures were given on the scene by the police and paramedics, but Stephen was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly after arriving by ambulance in the early minutes after midnight on Dec. 2.
The Lansing Department Attorney General review concluded the officers only fired upon Stephen in moments when his hand was physically on his pistol.
Michigan State Police concluded the investigation.
