GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — Six Grand Rapids police officers surrounded 46-year-old Eddie Deans Jr. in a residential backyard on Saturday, May 30. A police officer discharged a firearm and Deans was pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement response began at 1:15 p.m. May 30. Deans' mother called 911, reporting he threatened her grandson with a knife and to kill his family. Video footage showed Deans throwing a Molotov cocktail and applying lighter fluid onto a police cruiser. He ran through the neighborhood while holding a knife and attempted to commandeer a civilian vehicle, prompting the driver to exit and flee.
Officers tracked Deans to a residential yard at Widdicomb Avenue NW near 12th Street and surrounded him. Police verbally commanded Deans to place his hands up. Officers deployed K-9 unit Digo to apprehend him. Deans stabbed the canine in the head and protective vest. Police utilized less-lethal weapons during the confrontation. When Deans moved toward the officers, a police officer discharged a firearm four to five times.
Interim Grand Rapids Police Chief Joe Trigg released body-worn and in-car camera footage on June 3. "The department has not made any conclusions on whether the officer involved acted consistently with the law, department policies and training." Trigg said. The Michigan State Police is conducting an investigation.
K-9 Digo was released from an animal emergency medical facility and is recuperating at his handler's residence. Kent County Probate Court documents indicate Deans received mental health diagnoses. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and sentenced to 12-to-50 years. He was released on parole in February 2025.