Unarmed man killed after attacking cop

BEDFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - A Battle Creek police officer is out of a hospital and on paid administrative leave after shooting and killing a 24-year-old man.

It happened around 11:10 p.m. Saturday at a residence in the 100 block of Uldriks Drive in Bedford Township.

Battle Creek police officers were dispatched to a domestic assault call in which Matthew Daniels had attacked his stepfather.

When police arrived they say Daniels attacked an officer, who then shot Daniels once.

Daniels, who was unarmed, died at the scene.

The officer suffered injuries to his face.

Friends of Daniels say he was more like a gentle giant than a violent man who would attack police.

"We grew up together, and a group of us used to play football and basketball in our yard," said Jon Meinke.

Meinke had known Daniels for more than 10 years. He was out with friends the night of the shooting when word spread there was a commotion and police at Daniels' mother's house.

Meinke knew something was wrong when he couldn't reach Daniels on his cellphone.

"I know that he and his stepfather have had arguments before. But he says it's never escalated to physical -- just arguments and he'll leave.

"Why, if he was unarmed, why did you use deadly force instead of trying to use pepper spray or a Taser to try and get him down?" asks Meinke.

Meinke admits Daniels was a big guy -- standing more than six feet tall and weighing more than 300 pounds -- but says he was never known to be violent.


"I think he was provoked somehow, because we've never seen him that way," said Meinke. "You can ask any of our friends. They've never seen him start a fight with anybody."

Meinke says Daniels would have turned 25 Sunday.

"We were going to meet up tonight at the hockey game for his birthday party that he was going to do," Meinke told 24 Hour News 8 on Sunday.

Battle Creek Police Chief Jackie Hampton did not release the name of the officer involved, but did say the officer is a 24-year veteran on the force.

Michigan State Police are now investigating the case.