Unarmed man shot by cop in hotel dies

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - An unarmed 34-year-old man died at a hospital after being shot by a Kalamazoo police officer during a confrontation at a hotel Thursday night.

The situation began around 2 p.m. when Jacob Grassley's girlfriend said he assaulted her in her home in the 2700 block of S. Westnedge Avenue. He left, returned around 5 p.m, and left again before police arrived.

Police said she told them he was acting unusual and was depressed and unpredictable. She also said he may have taken two handguns and an assault rifle with him.

Grassley's mother called police because she was worried he might try to kill himself.

Around 10 p.m, officers saw his car and a chase began. Stop Sticks flattened his tires and he pulled up in front of the Best Western Hospitality Inn, 3640 E. Cork Street, in Kalamazoo.

He went inside the hotel and three or four officers confronted him.

Witnesses told 24 Hour News 8 the shooting occurred in the second-floor lobby.

Grassley was rushed to Bronson Methodist Hospital where he later died from the gunshot wound.

No officers were injured during the confrontation at the hotel.

"In our initial review of the incident, it was revealed that Mr. Grassley was not armed at the time of the shooting," Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said. "But with that being said, during that initial review of very preliminary information it appeared that our officers acted within policy and the legal constraints in which they are bound. However, we are committed to a thorough and objective investigative process."

Hadley said they did find some weapons but he wouldn't say where. He added the officers have not been interviewed yet and he didn't know how many shots were fired or how many times Grassley was hit.

He also did not answer the main question: If Grassley was not armed, what did he do to make officers shoot him?

The Office of Professional Standards and the Criminal Investigations Divisions of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety are conducting separate investigations.

The officer who shot the gun has been put on administrative leave per Department policy.

Grassley was scheduled to appear in an Ohio court Friday related to a couple old drug abuse warrants. Since 1999, Grassley had been arrested four times for drugs and once for driving while under the influence.