EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission will review the reports regarding the shooting of a man by police at the Lake Lansing Road Meijer that occurred just over a year ago.
On April 25, 2022, East Lansing Police Department officers responded to a call of a man reportedly walking into the store with a gun.
Officers located DeAnthony VanAtten inside the store and chased him out into the parking lot where officers Jose Viera and Jim Menser fired a total of eight shots, two of which hit VanAtten.
VanAtten was treated at Sparrow Hospital and then taken to Ingham County Jail for a probation violation, according to the Michigan State Police report.
Officers Viera and Menser were cleared of any charges by Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The reports the commission are reviewing include the investigation from Michigan State Police and the internal investigation conducted by the East Lansing Police Department.
The review contains witness interviews regarding what they saw and their interactions with East Lansing Police Department officers, including a store employee and someone in their car near the shooting. All names of witnesses have been redacted.
The report also includes an interview conducted by a state trooper with VanAtten while he was being treated at Sparrow Hospital. VanAtten told the officer he ran from police because he got scared. He cited having several negative encounters with police in the past including being tased and "beaten up."
One investigator wrote in their report "after reviewing all statements, documents, audio, videos provided by Meijer and the body-worn cameras of the officers involved in this incident, I find that the officers involved in this incident allegedly violated ELPD policies and procedures."
Three of the five officers involved are accused of department violations.
Officer Jeff Horn is accused of not wearing his seat belt while driving or riding in a department vehicle and not wearing personal protective equipment when bodily fluids are present.
Officer Austin Nelson is also accused of not wearing his seat belt in a department vehicle, using tobacco while on duty and failing to record on or finish recording on the Axon recording system.
Sgt. Wachowski is accused of not wearing his body worn camera and not wearing a seat belt in a department vehicle.
Officers Menser and Viera had no violations, according to this report.
The commission will discuss these reports for the first time at the Hannah Community Center starting at 6 p.m. It's unsure what, if any, action will be taken regarding the report.
You can find the entire 363-page report here.
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