GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Security video that captures the moment a man was hit by an unmarked Michigan State Police vehicle was released at a press conference held by family attorneys. The man later died.
Samuel Sterling, 25, was putting air in his tires near 52nd Street and Eastern Avenue in Kentwood on the morning of April 17 when he was found by multiple agencies looking for him on felony warrants, troopers said.
When officers approached Sterling, he ran away, police said. It led to a chase.
The vehicle that was driving parallel to Sterling then struck him, police said. He died later that day at the hospital.
The cause of death was ruled "accidental," county officials confirmed Friday. This does not mean charges cannot be filed in the case, Kent County's Assistant County Administrator Lori Latham said.
Sterling leaves behind three children.
The press conference was put on by civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the family's attorney, Ven Johnson.
At the conference, they released security footage from a nearby business that showed the crash. A man can be seen running and a vehicle strikes him.
"When he was on the ground, moaning, asking for help from the very people who were supposed to protect and serve him, it didn't look like they gave him a helping hand, y'all," said Crump.
Johnson said he was hit from behind at the press conference.
"They treated him like a criminal. They acted like the judge, the jury and the executioner. They do that too often in our community," said Crump.
"Haven't we seen enough? Haven't we seen enough?" questioned Johnson.
"It was shocking to me," said Crump after airing the video to the crowd. "I couldn't believe that you literally would have the police run over a fleeing citizen."
Former Kent County Commissioner and local activist Robert Womack also spoke.
"This is two years, almost to the day, Ben Crump was in here for Patrick Lyoya," said Womack, "We must not have did enough when it comes to Patrick Lyoya. We will not make the same mistake with Samuel Sterling. We will get justice!"
"His last words to me were 'Are you good?' and 'I love you too,'" his mom, Andrica Cage, said through tears at the podium. "He was my baby. He can't never be replaced."
For a week, gatherings have been held for Sterling's loved ones and community members. They've been honoring his life and calling for justice.
One took place on Saturday in the parking lot of the Eastern Avenue Burger King, where Sterling was hit.
"Justice for Samuel. Release the tape. Name that officer," was chanted by the nearly 100 people who had gathered.
Many held signs which said "No justice, no peace," and "Samuel Sterling, say his name."
"Please, help us get justice for my son, Samuel," said Andrica, Sterling's mother.
The family called for MSP to show them the video of the incident and to make it public, along with calling for the officer who was driving the vehicle to be charged.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will now be looking into the case, her office announced one day after the death. Sterling's family said this has renewed hope that they will get justice for Samuel.
The head of Michigan State Police, Col. James F. Grady II released a statement, saying in part:
As an African American male and a father, it's not lost on me that this is the death of another young African American male following an interaction with police.
As the Director of the Michigan State Police, I want to assure the community that we see you, hear you and will thoroughly and expeditiously investigate the incident.
The full statement can be found here.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI Field Office Detroit released a joint statement on the incident on Friday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the FBI Field Office Detroit are monitoring the ongoing state investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic death of Samuel Sterling. We will continue to coordinate with our state and local law enforcement partners. If in the course of the state investigation, evidence reveals a potential violation of federal criminal statutes, we will take appropriate action.
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