In the days leading up to Christmas, a family's holiday preparations were shattered by a fatal encounter with law enforcement. Kevin Matthews, a 35-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by a Dearborn police officer on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 23, 2015, in a backyard on the Detroit-Dearborn border. Matthews, who lived with paranoid schizophrenia, was unarmed at the time of the shooting. His death was later ruled a homicide by the Wayne County Medical Examiner, with the cause identified as multiple gunshot wounds.
The incident began when a Dearborn police officer on patrol spotted Matthews, who was wanted for a misdemeanor theft and a probation violation. A foot chase ensued, crossing from Dearborn into a Detroit neighborhood. The pursuit ended in a residential backyard where, according to police, a struggle broke out between the officer and Matthews. It was during this physical altercation that the officer fired his weapon nine times, fatally wounding Matthews. Police officials stated that the officer was on his back and fired after Matthews allegedly attempted to gain control of his gun and had pulled the ammunition magazine from the officer's belt.
The aftermath of the shooting saw an outpouring of grief and anger from Matthews' family and community activists. His family described him as a non-violent person who, despite some legal troubles, would not have been confrontational and typically cooperated with police. They, along with groups like the National Action Network, called for justice and transparency in the investigation, which was handled by the Detroit Police Department. In October 2016, the family filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Dearborn police. However, in December 2016, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced that no criminal charges would be filed against the officer involved. The prosecutor, Kym Worthy, described the decision as 'heart-wrenching' but concluded there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction, deeming the officer's actions a case of self-defense. The officer's name was not publicly released by authorities.
