Man shot by cop ran 'to keep promise'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Gabriel Hood's fiance received a call Thursday night informing her that Hood had been shot and killed by police less than a month before she was due to give birth to their son.

Delannie Lawn had been dating Hood for six years and said she planned to marry him. Together she and Hood already had one daughter and he was like a father to her other daughter, Lawn said.

Hood was shot after police say he pulled a gun on Grand Rapids police officer Donald Lake who was chasing him near Ann St. and Center Ave. last Thursday afternoon.

Hood was a parole absconder and likely would have spent time in jail or prison if he was arrested. He would probably have missed the birth of his son who is due to be born on April 13, which coincidentally is Hood's birthday as well.

"He told me he wouldn't miss the birth of his son for nothing in the world," Lawn told 24 Hour News 8. "He said he was gonna do what he had to do to deal with the situations that were already resting on his shoulders, but he just wanted to be here for his son."

Hood was off to a good start after getting out of prison in February 2008, Lawn said. But things changed after he got laid off of work and couldn't find a new job.

"He was just getting frustrated," Lawn said. "He couldn't provide for us or his other kids like he wanted to."

She said Hood then turned back to crime and was able to make money, but she doesn't know how.

"I never really asked any questions or wanted to know because of the guilt I would have," Lawn said.

In September, Hood was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault after Lawn said she and Hood got into a heated fight at a hotel.

The Kent County Sheriff's Department got involved, Lawn said, but she says Hood was never arrested and the situation was "blown out of proportion". She called the incident minor and said she wrote letters to the court asking that the charges be dropped.

Lawn says she and Hood had discussed this incident with Hood's parole officer.

Eight days after the incident at the hotel, court records show Hood eluded police after investigators said he got into a fight and threatened a man with a gun.

After those two incidents, Hood stopped meeting with his parole officer fearing he would be sent back to prison. He was always worried about police catching up to him, Lawn said.

"It wasn't like he was just living a free and clear life," Lawn said. "He was always stressed and worried and didn't know what to do."

Last Thursday, Hood was pulled over by a Grand Rapids police officer for illegally riding a moped with a passenger on board.

While the officer was taking him into custody, he ran away. The officer chased him and said Hood pulled out a 9mm hand gun. The officer shot and killed him.

While Lawn doesn't believe Hood would have tried to hurt the officer, she said she knows what Lawn was likely thinking about.

"I know he was scared and everything flashed before him," Lawn said. "He just wanted to see the birth of his son."