Authorities in Michigan have released body camera and surveillance videos capturing the moment a suspect accused of stabbing an elderly m...
Authorities in Michigan have released body camera and surveillance videos capturing the moment a suspect accused of stabbing an elderly man during a dispute over a face mask was fatally shot by a deputy after advancing on her with multiple weapons in hand.
The shooting took place on Tuesday afternoon in Eaton County, southwest of Lansing, about 30 minutes after the stabbing at a Quality Dairy store, state police Lt. Brian Oleksyk said.
A veteran Eaton County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the stabbing suspect's car in a residential neighborhood and shot the man, identified as 43-year-old Sean Ruis, when he got out of his vehicle and tried to attack her, Oleksyk said.
An Eaton County sheriff's deputy stopped the vehicle of Sean Ruis, a suspect in a stabbing, on a residential street in Grand Ledge, Michigan, on Tuesday
Surveillance video released by the authorities shows Ruis, 43, exit his car with multiple edged weapons in hand and walk toward the deputy
The deputy backs away and repeatedly orders Ruis to drop his knives, but the man ignores her commands and continues advancing on her
The deputy is seen in this screenshot opening fire on the armed suspect in the middle of the street
Ruis collapses to the ground after being shot multiple times by the officer
According to both neighborhood security and body camera recordings released by Michigan State Police and the Sheriff's Office, the officer, who has been on the force for 22 years, backed away and repeatedly ordered Ruis to 'drop the weapon,' but he ignored the commands and continued advancing on her while brandishing a screwdriver and multiple knives.
'Drop the weapon! Drop the weapon!' the deputy is heard yelling at the suspect.
As Ruis makes an apparent attempt to lunge at the officer, she opens fire on him, shooting him at least nine times at close range.
A still screenshot from the the bodycam video shows Ruis putting his left hand still clutching a screwdriver over the deputy's hand holding the gun during the shooting. His right hand is seen bristling with at least two knives.
The man then collapses to the ground and exclaims, 'down.' The deputy radios in 'shots fired.'
'It’s very unfortunate she had to use her weapon, but she had to save her life,' Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich said during an afternoon press conference. 'She had to use deadly force. She did it properly.'
The deputy has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure when involved in a shooting incident.
The sheriff's office has released the deputy's body camera video, which shows the violent confrontation from her point of view
In the video, Ruis is seen brandishing a screwdriver and at least two knives, and advancing on the deputy, despite her efforts to create distance between herself and the suspect
The moment Ruis lunges at the deputy, she opens fire on him at close range
During the shooting, Ruis tries to grab the officer's gun hand (pictured)
The deputy fires at least nine shots at the stabbing suspect before he collapses
The sheriff's office will conduct an internal review for compliance with its policies, procedures and training. The Michigan State Police will carry out an independent investigation into the entire incident and submit their findings to the county prosecutor's office.
'Our thoughts and prayers are for the full recovery of the victim who was stabbed at the Quality Dairy and for his family, and are with our Deputy who was subsequently violently attacked,' Reich said in a statement. 'They are also with the family of Mr. Ruis who was killed in this senseless, tragic incident.'
Ruis, of Grand Ledge, who worked at the Michigan Department of Transportation, died at a hospital from gunshot wounds.
The scene where a 77-year-old man was stabbed by 43-year-old Sean Ruis, who refused to wear a mask at Quality Dairy on Lansing Road in Windsor Township, Michigan
Ruis was reportedly refused service at the grocery store and was confronted by the masked 77-year-old bystander for failing to cover his face
Oleksyk said the incident began unfolding at around 6.45am, when Ruis entered the Quality Dairy store without a mask and was refused service.
When a 77-year-old customer, who was masked, confronted Ruis about failing to wear a face covering, the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the elderly man.
The stabbing victim, who was not named, was listed in serious condition at a hospital.
Following the violent confrontation, Ruis fled the scene in his car.
About 30 minutes later, an Eaton County sheriff's deputy observed Ruis on Jerryson Drive, where he lives, and pulled him over.
As the newly released video recordings show, Ruis got out of the car brandishing knives to attack the deputy.
The deputy ordered Ruis to drop the knife and tried to back up to create distance between herself and the suspect, but he continued to advance on her.
Oleksyk said the officer feared for her life and shot Ruis. She was uninjured.
Ruis had worked at the Michigan Department of Transportation since 2008, reported Lansing State Journal. MDOT's site lists him as a transportation technician within the hot mix asphalt lab services.
At the time of the incident, Ruis was likely on his way to work.
An Eaton County sheriff's deputy shot and killed Ruis near his home in Grand Ledge after the man allegedly threatened her with a knife
The 43-year-old had no past criminal history in the county.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered people to wear masks in stores to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
The decision about whether to wear a mask in public for some has become a political statement, and there have been other instances of violent encounters over masks.
In May, a security guard at a Family Dollar store in Flint was fatally shot after denying entry to a customer without a mask.
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