A man was shot and killed early Friday morning, Nov. 7, at the Whitehall Comfort Inn after he charged responding units from the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office with a box cutter, according to a release from the office.
Sheriff's officers responded to the scene after a 4:52 a.m. call from the mother of a 37-year-old Mears man who was staying at the inn, concerned he may harm himself. The officers found the man with self-inflicted injuries, and after one deputy returned to the police vehicle to obtain medical supplies, the man charged the other deputy with the box cutter, leading to the deputy firing their weapon to subdue him. After being hit multiple times, the man, whose name had not been released at press time, was then rendered first aid, but was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff's office investigation remained open at press time, and per office protocol in deadly officer-involved shootings, the deputy who shot the man has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation is in progress. Montague and Whitehall's police departments were each credited with providing assistance at the scene, in addition to Muskegon Charter Township police, the White Lake ambulance and fire authorities, and the state police.
"We were the third unit to arrive," Whitehall police chief Brandon Mahoney said; the first two units were both from the sheriff's office. "My officer helped with some lifesaving efforts for the victim in the case - a tourniquet and some other first aid. That was about it with our involvement. We weren't involved with the investigative team, as the sheriff's office has their own unit."
