The family of Owings Mills native Isaiah Christopher Kirby is speaking out for the first time since he was shot and killed by East Lansing police officers on April 15.
According to police, Isaiah was identified as a suspect in a theft that evolved into a stabbing at a business in the area of Lake Lansing and Abbot Roads. The situation later escalated into an officer-involved shooting, which resulted in Isaiah's death.
The victim, who police say suffered multiple stab wounds, was hospitalized and later released to begin recovering at home.
Isaiah was shot 17 times by officers with the East Lansing Police Department, according to a press release issued Wednesday from the family's attorney.
Karyn Kirby, Isaiah's mother, says he was a senior at Michigan State University (MSU), set to graduate in just a few weeks, with his family and friends looking forward to his success. At MSU, he was pursuing a degree in Zoology, with concentrations in Herpetology and Aquarium Science, with hopes of landing a career with the Austin Zoo in Texas after his interview scheduled for April 17.
Karyn says she and her family have been in East Lansing trying to understand what led to the shooting, but instead of clarity, they have only been met with confusion, limited information, and decisions being made without their knowledge.
"We have asked to see the evidence related to our son's death, including video footage, and have been told that what will be shown to us, and to the public, may be edited or compiled. We are requesting, clearly and unequivocally, to view the complete and unedited video and audio evidence," Karyn said.
Karyn said she counted the gunshot wounds on her son's body, including multiple wounds to his back. She says the condition of his face was "swollen beyond recognition," insisting that the level of force used was "devastating to even describe."
"I cannot unsee what I saw. I cannot unhear what I heard. No mother should ever have to hear a body bag being unzipped after her child was gunned down in the street by the police. Isaiah is more than a headline or a set of narratives that others are creating," Karyn said. "He was our son. Our brother. Our nephew. Our grandson. Our friend."
Attorney Teresa A. Caine Bingman, who represents the Kirby family, says East Lansing police officers "gunned down another Black man," adding "the loss of Black life during police encounters is a national crisis."
"Based on what his mother personally observed, including having counted at least 17 gunshot wounds in her son's body, including multiple wounds to his back, the use of deadly force in this case must be subjected to the highest level of independent scrutiny. The law is clear: deadly force is justified only where there is an immediate threat of death or serious injury. That determination must be grounded in objective facts - not assumptions, not evolving narratives, and not conclusions reached after the fact," Bingman said.
An update from the East Lansing Police Department released Monday says the process of reviewing and producing a video timeline of events had begun, which will be shared with the public in the "upcoming weeks." The officers involved will also be identified at that time, according to police.
Michigan State Police will be the lead agency in the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
At this time, the Kirby family has requested privacy as the investigation continues.
"We want the truth. We want transparency. We want accountability – and we demand Justice," said Karyn.
