Samuel Sterling dies – Detective Sgt. Brian Keely charged in fatal Michigan police pursuit incident
Fatal Michigan police pursuit death of Samuel Sterling – Obituary
Detective Sergeant Brian Keely, a Michigan State Police officer, is facing serious charges following an incident on April 17 where he allegedly struck and killed 25-year-old Samuel Sterling with an unmarked vehicle during a pursuit.
The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office has announced that Keely, who is 50, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Keely, a member of the Sixth District Fugitive Task Force, is accused of causing Sterling’s death in Kentwood, a suburb of Grand Rapids.
Sterling, who was Black, was reportedly being chased on foot by police after initially attempting to escape on foot when approached by officers at a gas station. During the pursuit, Sterling was hit by an unmarked SUV as he ran through a fast-food restaurant parking lot.
Footage from the Michigan State Police shows Sterling being struck by the vehicle and then, despite his evident pain, being handcuffed and searched by officers while he lay on the ground. Sterling was later taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries hours after the incident.
Following a thorough investigation, Michigan State Police forwarded the case to Nessel’s Office. Nessel has condemned Keely’s actions as “legally, grossly negligent,” highlighting that they posed an unjustifiable risk of severe harm. Keely is set to be arraigned in Kent County’s 62B District Court, though no specific date has been set yet for the arraignment.
Fatal Michigan police pursuit death of Samuel Sterling – Obituary Detective Sergeant Brian Keely, a Michigan State Police officer, is facing serious charges following an incident on April 17 where he allegedly struck and killed 25-year-old Samuel Sterling with an unmarked vehicle during a pursuit. The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office has announced that…
Fatal Michigan police pursuit death of Samuel Sterling – Obituary Detective Sergeant Brian Keely, a Michigan State Police officer, is facing serious charges following an incident on April 17 where he allegedly struck and killed 25-year-old Samuel Sterling with an unmarked vehicle during a pursuit. The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office has announced that…