Grand Rapids police chief defends officers after viral video shows armed man, urges ‘comply now, complain later’

Grand Rapids Police Chief addressed a viral video at a press conference in Grand Rapids, saying officers de-escalated a potentially deadly incident in which a man carrying an AR-15 and a 9 mm handgun voluntarily complied after officers gave repeated orders and that several bystanders who moved into the line of fire interfered with officers’ work.

The chief said the department is treating gun violence on the city’s southeast side as a top priority after “a couple rough days where we had 2 individuals shot and killed, including, 30 year old man and a a 15 year old girl,” and framed the viral footage as one moment in that larger context.

The video shows an individual entering a business, then leaving with an AR-15 slung around his neck and a handgun on his hip; officers set a perimeter and used de-escalation, the chief said. He described three other adults who “inserted themselves” behind the armed person and “placed themselves and everyone else in more danger,” and said officers ultimately used a Taser on the person who resisted arrest.

Why it matters: the clip prompted public debate about use-of-force and bystander intervention, led to at least one formal complaint to the department, and prompted the police chief to release a redacted compilation of body-worn- and in-car-camera angles while an internal investigation is underway.

The chief said the officers “handle[d] it extremely well,” praising de-escalation and adding, “They take what could have been a deadly officer involved shooting, to a very peaceful conclusion.” He warned members of the public against interfering: “Comply now, complain later.”

On legal context, the chief noted Michigan is an open-carry state, saying that possession of firearms in public is lawful in many places but that private property rules can prohibit carrying firearms: “Michigan is a is an open carry state so that if you are lawfully in possession of a firearm ... are you allowed to open carry in public? Yes.” He also cited Walgreens’ corporate policy as an example of a private-property restriction on open carry.

The chief said the three young people who were prominently visible in the footage were released without charges, and that “the case of being pursued against the 2 individuals who were on the scene were arrested after the—” but that he did not yet have details on charges. He said a separate internal team will review every body-worn-camera recording and interview involved people: “I have 3 supervisors in investigations who will look in, internal investigations who will look at every single body on camera. They will interview these individuals.”

Asked about how the department selected footage for public release, the chief said staff redacted and compiled the clips that “most clearly showed everything” and noted the work required blurring faces and preparing material for release; he added that if a criminal case proceeds, the defendants will have access to the full footage.

On accountability and standards the chief said the department will examine any complaint and discipline if needed: “We hold our officers to the highest standards, certainly in the state of Michigan, possibly across the country.” He also contrasted the department’s tactics with past incidents elsewhere, citing the 2014 Tamir Rice shooting in Cleveland as an example departments have sought to learn from.

The chief repeatedly framed the department’s public message as both protecting officers responding to dangerous calls and asking adults in the community to mentor youth and avoid escalating incidents. He said public reaction to the viral clip dwarfed outreach after two recent fatal shootings: “I just talked about the 2 people that we had murdered ... And 0 community members reached out to me about that 15 year old girl that was killed.”

The department confirmed at least one complaint was filed about the incident; the chief said he had not yet reviewed that complaint and would reserve final judgment until investigators complete their work. He encouraged anyone who believes an officer acted improperly to bring a complaint for review rather than attempting to intervene at a scene.

The police chief closed by reiterating department priorities and inviting communication with community members, while officials continue both an internal review and any parallel criminal investigation that may arise.