Man charged in Detroit police officer’s shooting death, wounding of 4 others

Man arraigned in officer’s shooting death

DETROIT — Authorities charged a suspect Tuesday in the shooting death of a Detroit police officer and wounding of four others.

Jason Gibson was arraigned in a local hospital bed. He is accused of killing 12-year police veteran Brian Huff and shooting the other officers during a May 3 gun battle at a vacant duplex.

Gibson, 25, who was shot in the buttocks during the exchange of gunfire, is in serious condition at St. John Hospital.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy filed 18 charges against Gibson.

He faces three murder charges in Huff’s death: first-degree premeditated murder, murder of a peace officer and felony murder. Each carries a sentence of life without parole upon conviction. Gibson also was charged with one count of assaulting a police officer causing death in connection with Huff’s shooting.

He was charged with four counts of assault with intent to murder in the wounding of officers Kasper Harrison, Joseph Dunlap and Steven Schram, and for shooting at officer Brian Glover. He also was charged with four counts of assaulting a police officer causing serious impairment and one count of assault causing injury.

Glover hurt his knee while assisting Huff. Harrison suffered a gunshot wound to an arm; Schram to a foot; Dunlap to a shin; and Joseph D’Angelo to his right thigh. Each was treated for their injuries and released from local hospitals.

Worthy said her office is awaiting a forensic report on D’Angelo’s shooting.

Tuesday’s charges “will contribute toward closure, toward healing” of the police department, Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee told reporters Tuesday.

Gibson also was charged with home invasion, marijuana possession, using a firearm during a felony and as a habitual offender. He does not yet have an attorney, Worthy said.

“For those of us in law enforcement, there is really no greater tragedy than an officer being slain in the line of duty,” she said. “This case highlights that every day officers are putting their lives on the line for us.”

The officers were responding to a 3:30 a.m. report of a breaking an entering and shots fired at the house on Detroit’s northeast side.

Police have said Huff and D’Angelo were the backup unit, but took the lead because they had more experience.

Huff was shot multiple times after entering the front door. The other officers remained outside as backup.

Gibson ran from the house and continued firing after he was shot, Worthy said.

He has an extensive criminal background that includes curfew violations and misdemeanor assault as a juvenile, Worthy added.

Adult charges or conviction include fleeing and eluding police, using a firearm during a felony, cocaine possession, attempting to disarm a police officer and carrying a concealed weapon.

A warrant was issued in March after Gibson failed to make a court date, Worthy said.

She blamed an overcrowded criminal justice system as part of the reason Gibson was still on the street. Her office handles 30,000 felony cases each year, Worthy said.

“There is no way all those cases can be tried,” she told reporters Tuesday.