Report describes chaos of Copp shooting

ALLENDALE, Mich. (WOOD) - Deputy Ryan Huizenga at first was armed with a battering ram -- not a gun -- as he approached the rear slider door of Derek Copp's apartment near Grand Valley State University.

But the slider already was open, just slightly, so he set aside the ram and drew his police-issued, .40-caliber Glock.

A Michigan State Police report released Thursday provides an inside look at what led Huizenga, an Ottawa County sheriff's deputy, to fire the shot that injured Copp during a March 11 marijuana raid.

Huizenga told investigators he was surprised that his gun fired.

"I can't say that in that moment in time that I made a conscious effort to pull the trigger," he is quoted as saying.

Huizenga is a 12-year veteran of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department who joined its critical response team eight years ago and trained in handling "high-risk" situations. He joined the West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET) a year ago.

That night, he was among four WEMET members raiding the apartment, where undercover officers had bought small amounts of marijuana from Copp and his roommate, Conor Bardallis, the report states.

Huizenga wore black boots, camouflage pants and a camouflage ballistic vest with bright yellow "Sheriff" patches.

Team members said they decided to approach the slider because they weren't sure which interior door led to the suspects' apartment. And, the rear slider was where all the undercover buys were made, they said.

Police had no indication weapons would be there, but they expected "lots" of drug customers at the lower-level apartment. Copp had told an undercover officer, during a buy earlier that day, that it would be a "busy night."

Huizenga, at the slider, realized the door was a foot or two open, so he set down his battering ram and armed himself with his Glock, which he pointed down, he said.

He saw the slider curtain fluttering, but nothing more.

A team member knocked on the slider, but did not announce "police," Huizenga said. That's standard practice so those inside don't have a chance to go for weapons, run or flush drugs, he said.

Other members of the raid team, also at the slider, see the silhouette of somebody approaching, but Huizenga says he didn't see that.

Huizenga didn't recall placing his finger on the trigger.

Suddenly, Copp, in what Huizenga described as an abrubt and aggressive motion -- whipped open the curtain and slider door, and moved toward police.

At the same time, Huizenga said he announced "police, search warrant," while reaching for the door with his right arm to keep Copp from closing it on them. Huizenga, who is left-handed, had his gun in his left hand.

Copp raised an arm, and Huizega fired a single shot, he said.

Police have said they believe Copp raised his arm to protect his eyes from the light of a police flashlight.

Copp stepped back into the apartment and stumbled.

Huizenga then realized Copp was unarmed and hit. The deputy rushed inside, removed Copp's shirt, put pressure on the bullet wound and yelled for paramedics.

Huizenga said he swore when he realized what he'd done.

"He's unarmed and I hit him. So I started saying, 'Ah, s--t,' you know, 'Oh, s--t, I hit him, he's hit.'"

Investigators tried to pin down the deputy on why he fired the shot.

"Ryan, was it your intent to shoot Mr. Copp?" asked state police Detective Sgt. Robert Davis.

"No. No, I didn't have some, ah, pre-formed plan of putting him down, you know, if that's the way you want to term it. No."

Huizenga, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday to reckless discharge of a weapon, a misdemeanor, which means he could continue working. He had been charged with the high misdemeanor of careless discharge causing injury or death -- a charge that would have cost him his job.

He has been on paid administrative duty since the shooting.

District Judge Bradley Knoll sentenced him to six months probation, a $400 fine and 80 hours of community service.

Copp has pleaded guilty to a marijuana charge and is to be sentenced in August.

Bardallis, his roommate, waived his preliminary hearing and will go to trial.