Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has refused to press charges in the shooting death of Hakim Littleton. In an unusual, lengthy press conference to justify her decision, Worthy presented a powerpoint, referring to testimony from witnesses  and video clips  from body cameras to support her conclusion that the officers “acted in lawful self-defense.” Acknowledging that the case is controversial, Worthy said “we cannot let that deter us from making the right decisions in cases where some people would like to see charges.”

Both Prosecutor Worthy and Chief Craig, in a separate press conference stressed the decision was based on “facts.” Both blamed the controversy on social media spreading misinformation. Thanking Worth for her decision, Chief Craig said he hoped the “misinformation will stop” and the “false narratives” will cease.

Two key points in this “false narrative” were highlighted. First, that Police shot an unarmed black man 15 times, and second, that they continued to shoot him even after kicking the gun out of his hand. Both have proven untrue, according to the Chief.

Not exactly.

The decision to back away from an open, public inquiry or an impartial investigation leaves far too many questions unanswered.  Worthy claimed that her career has reflected a willingness to prosecute police misconduct. She seems to be hoping that this will make people accept a very questionable decision.

The thrust of Worthy’s presentation seemed to be to establish that Hakim Littleton pulled a gun and shot at police officers. No one calling for an independent investigation disputes this fact. Yes, Hakim Littleton pulled a gun and fired it.

The question, however, is once he turned to run away, once police had shot him in the thigh three times, once an officer was sitting on top of him, once he was pinned to the ground on his stomach, once several officers with guns were converging on him, was a single close-range shot to his head justified?

In this set of questions, Chief Craig and Kym Worthy offer differing accounts. Worthy says plainly that “the video footage and statements from four civilian witnesses showed Littleton fired five shots at police before an officer kicked his gun away from him — in contrast to claims from protesters that the 20-year-old was unarmed when he was shot.”

The idea that Mr. Little was unarmed when he was shot did not come from protestors. It came from Chief Craig. In his press conference held on the day of Mr. Littleton’s death attempting to quell outrage, Chief Craig introduced the moment when the gun is kicked away. As Craig showed the video footage for the last time to reporters, his only comment is to note that gun is kicked way.  He explains that as Littleton is shot, he begins to fall. As he is falling, he shoots two more times, away from the police, and is then tackled by an officer. There are a total of 4 shots, he says, not five as Worthy identifies. 

Craig explains that the footwork we see as the officer advances on top of Mr. Littleton is the” kicking away” of the gun from the left side of his body. Worthy claims the gun was kicked away from the right side of his body, which would have meant he was completed twisted under the officer, as the gun was in his left hand.

Worthy’s account is contradicted by the Chief’s early portrayal of the case. Further, in the original video release by the Chief, we see one officer rush around a prone and immobile Mr. Littleton. The officer moves  quickly to his head, extends his arm and shoots. At least three other officers, with guns out, did not feel threatened enough to shoot as they converged from closer range on the victim. The officer who tackled Mr. Littleton and sat on top of him never pulled out his gun.

So, we are left with the question, why was Hakim Littleton killed? Why did one officer race up to his head, take aim and shoot? What is the history of this officer? Why was Mr. Littleton not arrested, taken to a hospital for treatment and charged? Why did Hakim Littleton die that day?

The people of Detroit and the family and Friends of Hakim Littleton deserve more than slide shows. We have lost a young man who walked out of house one summer morning, never to return. None of us are safe until every death, especially those at the hands of police are fully and openly and independently investigated.