Prosecutor Launched Investigation After State Police Report Submitted

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has begun reviewing the investigation into the fatal shooting of Da'Quain Johnson by Grand Rapids police officers, following the submission of a Michigan State Police report to the prosecutor's office.

The investigative report on the officer-involved shooting that took the life of the 32-year-old man has been turned over to the prosecutor's office, Michigan State Police confirmed.

State police detectives sent their findings to the prosecutor on March 3, just under two weeks from when Johnson was fatally shot during a struggle with two Grand Rapids police officers.

"After discussing the case with them, I have already requested follow up on certain items, so the investigation is not complete," said Prosecutor Chris Becker. "I am in the process of reviewing all of the materials they presented as well, since I just received the materials yesterday. I am committed to conducting a comprehensive review of this incident, as I have in all such cases in the past, and will announce my decision when I have all of the information. I do not have a timeline for when that will be."

Video Footage Shows K9 Unit, Dashcam Captured Struggle

Dash camera footage released by the Grand Rapids Police Department shows Johnson slipped while trying to dismount his bike in the parking lot of an apartment complex near MLK Jr. Street and Eastern Avenue.

A police K9 first reached Johnson, appearing to bite him on the arm, before two officers moved in, the video showed.

The officers did not get the 32-year-old to comply with orders to show his hands, with one officer shouting he had a gun seconds before shooting Johnson multiple times.

The medical examiner determined Johnson died as a result of the action of another human being, which is the definition of homicide.

"That ruling does not determine whether the killing was justified or criminal," said Prosecutor Chris Becker.

The officers involved in the situation remain on administrative leave.

MSP Report Reveals Details About Gun and Cocaine Found

According to the Michigan State Police report, Johnson, who fell to the ground after dismounting from his bicycle, appeared to reach into his right hip area with his right arm before being tackled by a GRPD K9.

During the struggle, the detective said Johnson's right elbow then appeared to flare outward, a motion consistent with pulling an object from his waistband.

In body camera video, officers can be heard telling Johnson to let it go and drop the gun.

Then, seconds after he fired the fatal shots, one of these officers claimed to have seen the barrel of Johnson's gun pointed at his face.

"According to the MSP report, the Grand Rapids Police Department later recovered a tan and black 9mm pistol on the ground near Johnson's body, loaded with eight rounds in the magazine and one round chambered," said reporter Sam Landstra.

The report also said, while attempting life-saving measures, healthcare workers found on Johnson's body a plastic bag containing around 10 grams of suspected crack cocaine.

Mother Announced Own Investigation With Civil Rights Attorneys

On Friday of last week, Johnson's mother, Angelica Johnson, spoke on her son's death during a virtual press conference with her attorneys.

"I will not let his legacy be remembered in a negative way," she said. "He will not be defined by past mistakes or what assumptions people want to make about things they have not facts about."

Attorneys also played an additional angle of the shooting captured by a bystander and used it to claim Johnson did not point a gun at officers.

The video has not been independently verified by FOX 17.

"There is no law anywhere in our country that says because an individual has a gun and it's loaded, it means they can be murdered or they can be shot — unless they pose an imminent threat to somebody else," attorney Ven Johnson said.

Ben Crump, another attorney representing the family, made strong statements during the press conference.

"What we're seeing in Grand Rapids is beyond the pale of anything we're seeing in other parts of America," Crump said. "I mean, it's a shame before God."

The comments from Crump came as part of a virtual press conference where he, attorney Ven Johnson, Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack and Angelica Johnson announced their own investigation into the 32-year-old's death.

"Look at that video," Crump said. "There is no way they can justify it."

After Crump reviewed the video several times, Angelica Johnson began to cry.

"I do cry because he was my son. He is my son, and will always be my son," she said. "A lot of times when I think of my son, I will cry because he was a good person."

Johnson says she is committed to sharing the nature of her son's character and will not let his legacy be remembered in a negative way.

"He wasn't just my first born. He was my best friend," she said. "He was kind, He was compassionate. He was a wonderful father. He loved his kids dearly."

City Leaders Released Statements On Incident

During a press conference Thursday, GRPD said the preliminary investigation suggests that an officer reported that they believed he was armed and that no citizens called 911.

After the incident, police said they found a handgun at the scene.

Several city leaders released statements Friday about the shooting.

"As with any incident of this magnitude, the City of Grand Rapids is committed to the highest degree of transparency and accountability," said Mayor David LaGrand.

The officers involved in the situation remain on administrative leave.

"We are committed to the integrity of the Michigan State Police investigative process and the Kent County Prosecutor's review," said a spokesperson for the Grand Rapids Police Department.

History Shows Rare Prosecution In Officer-Involved Shootings

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told FOX 17 on Monday that he will let everyone know when he has made his charging decision in the case.

"I do not have a timeline for when that will be," Becker said.

Past officer-involved shooting investigations in Grand Rapids took roughly six to eight weeks from the shooting to a determination by the prosecutor's office.

It is not clear how long the prosecutor's office typically needs to review the evidence collected by state police and decide whether the use of force was justified or if the officers should face criminal charges.

Community Reacts With Outrage And Calls For Accountability

The incident has sparked outrage in the Grand Rapids community, with many calling for full transparency and accountability.

"This community don't deserve lies. They deserve the truth," Crump said.

Fox 17 has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the initial report.

A celebration of life service was held for Johnson on Wednesday morning.