On Sunday morning at 12:40AM, police officers of the Detroit police, fatally shot and killed Aiyana Jones, seven years old, while executing a search warrant as part of a homicide investigation.
In a statment read by Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee, he said ‘This is any parent’s worst nightmare. It also is any police officer’s worst nightmare. And today, it is all too real.’
The search warrant for the home was given because police believed the suspect in the Friday shooting death of 17-year-old high school student Jarean Blake was hiding out at the home. Blake was gunned down in front of a store as his girlfriend watched, Godbee said.
‘As is common in these types of situations, the officers deployed a distractionary device commonly known as a flash bang,’ Goodbee said in the statement. ‘The purpose of the device is to temporarily disorient occupants of the house to make it easier for officers to safely gain control of anyone inside and secure the premise.’
Upon entering the home, the officer encountered a 46-year-old female inside the front room, Godbee said. ‘Exactly what happened next is a matter still under investigation, but it appears the officer and the woman had some level of physical contact.
‘At about this time, the officer’s weapon discharged one round which, tragically, struck 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley Jones in the neck/head area.’
