Man's Fatal Shooting By Royal Oak Police Reviewed by Prosecutor

ROYAL OAK, MI — The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office will review the case of the fatal shooting by Royal Oak Police on an unarmed man in April, according to a report. Royal Oak resident Antonino Gordon, 28, was gunned down by an officer while in the drive-thru of a White Castle in Royal Oak April 10. This is the first major advancement in the case that has drawn criticism from the Royal Oak community, including a group of residents voicing their concerns about the case at city commission meetings.

Police said Gordon had fled when they tried to pull him over 15 minutes prior to his death, but it's unclear why shots were fired when police met back up with him at the fast-food restaurant. Gordon was in the driver's seat when he was shot and drove several blocks down 13 Mile before dying behind the wheel, just a block and a half from his apartment.

Authorities have been tight-lipped on the details of the case, initially issuing a statement that it would be "inappropriate" to comment during a pending investigation, but the family says evidence is mounting against the officer, who possibly shot Gordon not once, but several times.

An official with the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office said after his death that Gordon died from "gunshot wounds," but would not say exactly how many. Eye-witnesses told media this week that four to five shots were fired in the altercation that took place at 6:30 p.m. April 10 near 13 Mile and Coolidge Highway.

Authorities have said that Gordon had prior police encounters and a warrant out for his arrest, but the family disputes that police knew that before shooting Gordon since he was driving someone else's vehicle at the time of the incident.

"The police are trying to smear this young man with a prior alleged history that has nothing to do with that incident,"said Joseph Dedvukaj, attorney and uncle of Gordon's wife, about the man who was a newlywed and aspiring owner of a construction business. "They could not have possibly known anything about him to use that as a justification."

Per department policy, the officer, who was not injured in the incident, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. No details have been released about the officer and likely won’t be unless formal charges are announced.

That’s now the case is in the hands of Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton's office, WDIV reported. Read more on clickondetroit.com.

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