Battle Creek Traffic Stop Ends With Gunfire

Two Battle Creek City Police officers are on paid administrative leave following a shooting during what started out as a traffic stop. The passenger in a car officers had stopped at Columbia and La Vista a little after midnight, was visibly carrying a handgun.

One of the two officers involved ordered the passenger to put hands up and was told the officer would remove the weapon. The passenger initially complied. But when the officer went to grab the gun, the passenger began resisting and went for a second weapon, not originally noticed, on the floorboard.  The passenger was shot by one of the officers. The passenger was then unable to put up any more resistance. A public release from the Battle Creek Police Department indicates the wounded passenger is now at a Kalamazoo hospital and is expected to recover. The driver of the vehicle was not injured and was initially arrested on charges relating to the traffic stop. Michigan State Police Troopers are now handling the follow-up investigation, which is a standard procedure.

Identities of the Battle Creek Police officers involved, and the driver and passenger in the vehicle are so far being witheld.  There's also no word whether there is department surveillance video of the event.  Coincidentally, the Battle Creek City Commission this evening is set to vote on whether to approve a large contract to update patrol vehicle cameras and equip patrol and command officers with body cams.