East Lansing plans to release video in fatal shooting of Isaiah Kirby

East Lansing’s manager said the city plans to release, by the end of the week, the first public footage of the April 15 fatal police shooting of Isaiah Kirby.

A planned release of videos last week was called off after police met with Kirby’s family to review the video.

East Lansing announced the new pending release of video on Tuesday afternoon, hours after a news conference organized by Kirby’s family, during which his mother and others reiterated their calls for more transparency and the release of additional videos, including unedited versions.

Kirby, 21, was set to graduate from Michigan State University this month. His mother, Karyn Kirby, said during a news conference Tuesday that professors had noticed her son’s intelligence in class, according to a phone call she had with the university president, Kevin Guskiewicz. Kirby said her son was accepted to 18 colleges or universities on an academic basis. He played intramural sports but was focused on academics as he strived toward a career working with sharks and snakes, his passion, and was days away from a job interview with the Austin Zoo.

Police say they were called to a shopping plaza around 6 p.m. on April 15 for a robbery or shoplifting call, a second call while officers were en route indicated there had been a stabbing.

Police found Dennis Mielock, a local attorney, who had been stabbed; Mielock was released from the hospital after treatment, according to statements from his law firm and police. According to police, there was a call for a theft at a business, which escalated into a stabbing before police arrived. East Lansing Police Chief Jennifer Brown said, hours after the shooting, that officers encountered someone who appeared to have bloody hands and a weapon, “officers ordered the suspect to drop the knife multiple times but the suspect refused to cooperate. Officers responded to the threat by shooting the suspect.”

Kirby is accused of stabbing Mielock but the videos shown to family last week do not show that part, according to accounts from Kirby’s family, attorney and from James McCurtis Jr., president of Lansing NAACP.

Karyn Kirby said, during the news conference at Unity Missionary Baptist Church, that she wants “truth and transparency,” and for her many questions to be answered.

Kirby was joined by family attorney Teresa A. Caine Bingman and McCurtis at the news conference.

They said they are demanding the release of videos, full transparency, an independent and unbiased investigation, accountability for all unlawful actions and justice for Kirby.

East Lansing Police said, in a statement announcing the planned release of the second video, that the video would include narration and video from body and vehicle cameras. It would show “footage of the officer involved shooting and aid being rendered to both the stabbing victim and Isaiah Kirby.” 

The East Lansing Police Department does not have any footage of the stabbing or from local businesses or other police agencies, according to the city’s statement.