The decision not to charge an officer who fatally shot a black woman after police said she “confronted” him with a knife has sparked protests, a lawsuit and the promise of police diversity training.
After reviewing an investigation conducted by Michigan State Police, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie announced Friday that Ann Arbor Police Officer David Ried had acted in lawful self-defense when he killed 40-year-old Aura Rosser shortly after responding to a 911 call on Nov. 9.
Officials say Rosser suffered from “severe mental illness” but was not taking her medication. They said she attacked officers with a knife while they were responding to the call.
“Ms. Rosser’s death, although tragic, was justifiable homicide,” the memo from the prosecutor’s office states.
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Police had previously responded to incidents at Stephens’ home. On one occasion, Stephens alleged that Rosser chased him with a knife, a claim she denied. In another incident, Stephens told police that Rosser had called someone to come attack him. Ried was the responding officer for the incident, which was resolved peacefully.
Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, who started his first term in office last month, issued a statement saying “appalling racial injustice and disparity continue to degrade our society and must be fought at every turn” but that he believed Ried was justified.
“The events of that night of course were a tragedy, but not a tragedy of racism, which is loathsome and unacceptable and contrary to everything Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Police Department stands for,” Taylor wrote. “The events of November 9 were a tragedy of mental illness untreated and drug use unabated.”
Police Chief John Seto said Monday the department will undergo diversity and autism awareness training this year, according to MLive.
