Prosecutor Chris Becker wrote in his opinion released Monday that, “This is about as clear a case of self-defense or defense of other justification as will ever occur… All three officers were completely justified in their action that day, so there will be no criminal charges filed against them.”
On December 6, the wife and daughter of Martin Martinez-Salazar reported he had pointed a gun at his wife and threatened to kill her the night before.
He later sent her text messages saying that he was "not afraid to die at the hands of the police" and was prepared for a shootout.
When police contacted him at his home, Martinez-Salazar refused to come out and threatened suicide.
He would later leave in a vehicle.
Officers pulled him over and asked him to exit the vehicle.
When Martinez-Salazar stepped out, the report states he immediately opened fire on the officers who returned fire, striking him several times, killing him.
In his decision, Prosecutor Becker cites the Michigan Self-Defense Act which justifies the use of deadly force to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.
He notes that the officers' body cameras and in-car video corroborates their accounts that Martinez-Salazar initiated the gunfight.
Consequently, Becker deemed the use of force legally justified.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker’s full opinion:
For a weekly dose of news right to your inbox, sign up for the WGVU newsletter.
