WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Community activists and relatives of John Zook Jr. repeatedly shouted “shame” at Monday’s Wayne City Council meeting after a majority of council members rejected a member’s request to release police body camera footage, the 911 call and the results of the Michigan State Police investigation to the public.
Zook, 40, was shot by a Wayne Police Department officer on the afternoon of June 18 after calling 911 and reporting that he was suicidal and having a mental health crisis.
WXYZ about the family of John Zook Jr.
“I’m telling you, this was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’ve been through a lot, but this was the hardest,” said Zook’s father, John Zook Sr., who retired as a sergeant with the Highland Park police and fire departments.
A Wayne police officer and a city attorney allowed John Zook Sr. and his wife to view the footage privately. The Zooks say it does not match police claims that their son did not cooperate and attacked officers after opening the door for them.
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“They said, ‘Put the knife down. Put the knife down.’ He put the knife down next to him and then they said, ‘Taser. Taser.’ They put the Taser on him and shot him six times in a split second,” John Zook Sr. said.
Attorney Todd Perkins, who represents the Zook family, told 7 News Detroit that they filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the video four weeks ago and are still waiting.
“We want to put pressure on the Wayne Police Department to voluntarily release the file,” Perkins said. “Now that we have learned that MSP has completed its investigation and turned its file over to the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office, there is no reason not to let the public know. And don’t say it’s for the protection of the family. You’ve seen it and you want it released.”
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Trische Duckworth of Survivors Speak was one of the community activists who pushed for the release of the police videos and John Zook Jr.’s 911 call.
“If nothing was actually wrong, why not release the tapes so the public can be assured that you did your job,” Duckworth said.
At Monday’s meeting, Councilman Eric Cleereman was close to voting to release the police bodycam footage when he made a motion to release that footage, as well as John Zook’s 911 call and the results of the state police investigation. But no other member supported that motion, and it quickly became another council member’s motion to adjourn the meeting.
“They don’t want anyone to see how that cop murdered him,” said Brooks Edwards, the mother of Zook’s fiancée.
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Brian Silverstein of Detroit Will Breathe pointed out that police departments in Michigan and across the country have released bodycam footage of police-involved shootings on the day of the incident. He said Wayne police were not transparent and could have released the video before and during the Michigan State Police investigation.
“When police shot Hakim Littleton in Detroit in 2020, they released the bodycam footage within hours. The investigation had barely begun, so we know it has nothing to do with that. This is an excuse that shows us there is really something fishy here,” Silverstein said.
Wayne Deputy Police Chief Finley Carter said they would not be releasing the video at this time. Carter said the case is fraught with emotion and they are still deciding if it is in the public interest to release the video.
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A spokesperson for the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office said they recently received the case from the MSP and are reviewing it to make a charging decision.
John Zook Sr. believes charges will ultimately be brought against the police officer who shot his son, as well as a second officer who responded to the incident.
“When you look at the evidence, I believe charges should be brought against her,” said John Zook Sr.
