Crazy bodycam video shows suspect trying to flee cop on a lawnmower, getting tased — and it only gets worse for him



Newly released police bodycam video shows the moment a Michigan suspect tried to flee a police officer on a riding lawnmower. However, the suspect ended up getting tased and shooting himself in the hand.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said an officer was dispatched to a property in Leoni Township.

'This was an unfortunate and certainly dangerous situation. Mr. Kerr was not well that day.'

In the bodycam video the sheriff's office released, Deputy Robert Henderson went to arrest 41-year-old James Mitchell Kerr III on a felony warrant for violating probation and two misdemeanor warrants on Sept. 19, according to WWJ-TV.

The bodycam video shows the officer approach Kerr — who is on a riding lawnmower.

The video — seen hundreds of thousands of times online — shows Kerr seemingly disregarding Henderson's multiple orders to get off the riding lawnmower.

The officer is seen running after Kerr, continuing to order him to "stop."

Once the officer wields a taser, the suspect finally stops the lawnmower.

Henderson warns: "You run, I'm gonna tase you, James."

Kerr is seen exiting the lawnmower, but he then picks up what appears to be a handgun from under the lawnmower's seat, according to WJBK-TV.

The officer tased the suspect, and he fell to the ground.

The officer screams, "Drop the gun!"

Video shows the suspect shooting himself in the hand.

Kerr reportedly was treated at a hospital for the gunshot wound and then released.

Kerr was charged Oct. 23 with assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, and resisting and obstructing police. He was released on bail.

If convicted, Kerr faces up to life in prison for the assault charge, up to two years for the felony firearm charge, and up to two years for resisting an officer.

Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette said, "This incident underscores how rapidly a seemingly routine encounter can escalate and the potential dangers deputies face daily. Thankfully, the deputy was unharmed, and the suspect did not sustain serious injuries."

Kerr's attorney, Philip Curtis, told the Detroit News, "This was an unfortunate and certainly dangerous situation. Mr. Kerr was not well that day, and I think it is more likely that he intended to harm himself, which is what happened. The deputy should be commended for so effectively defusing the situation before anyone was seriously injured. My client and his family are grateful for that."

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office conducted an internal investigation. The Michigan State Police conducted an independent criminal investigation, which cleared Henderson of any wrongdoing and indicated that no police policies were violated.

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Michigan Democrat — arrested for allegedly sexting underage boy in sting operation — wins re-election in landslide



A Michigan Democrat won re-election in a landslide despite resigning from his office two months ago after he was arrested for allegedly sexting an underage boy.

Ken Fletcher had been the supervisor in Delta Township, which is about 10 minutes west of Lansing. Fletcher resigned Sept. 3 — a day before he faced child sex crime charges.

Law enforcement agents reportedly were 'posing as a 15-year-old male on the mobile dating app Grindr from Aug. 13 to Aug. 14' in order to talk to Fletcher.

Township Manager Brian Reed said Fletcher resigned "effective immediately" during the township board meeting, and the board accepted his resignation. Reed added that the "township has also been made aware of an open criminal investigation unrelated to his duties as supervisor."

In the recent election, Fletcher received nearly 89% of the vote. He was opposed by two write-in candidates — Saturn Wells, who received just over 11% of the vote, and Richard Ott who did not receive any votes.

Fletcher was arrested Sept. 4 and charged with accosting a child for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime; he pleaded not guilty to the two felonies and was released on bond.

Fletcher, 58, was caught in a sting operation, according to police. He allegedly thought he was talking to a 15-year-old boy on Grindr — the self-proclaimed "world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people" — when cops reportedly were posing a teen boy.

WILX-TV obtained documents claiming Fletcher "engaged in an undercover chat with Detective Scheib with the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office." Law enforcement agents reportedly were "posing as a 15-year-old male on the mobile dating app Grindr from Aug. 13 to Aug. 14" in order to talk to Fletcher.

The outlet noted that Fletcher "continued to send enticing messages and expressed that he was willing to meet the 15-year-old boy at the Lansing Mall for the purpose of 'just talking.'"

Fletcher was kept on the ballot due to state election law.

Fletcher can accept or decline the office until Jan. 1, 2025.

The New York Post reported that Fletcher’s lawyer, Michael Nichols, said his client was “pleasantly surprised” by the election results.

Nichols wondered to WILX, “The biggest question I think for Ken Fletcher is — is this the right thing for not just me but for the community? Am I still the best person for the job?”

Delta Township Clerk Mary Clark — who has been serving as interim supervisor since Fletcher resigned — said, "There are three choices on his part, and so it’s really kind of presumptive of us to act or decide to act in a certain way before we know what is happening with that position."

Clark added, “He can vacate the office if he does not get sworn in by then; he could get sworn in and resign, or obviously he could get sworn in and stay.”

Fletcher is scheduled to return to court Nov. 12.

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Pastor allegedly admits that he planted hidden camera in church bathroom for 2 years: 'It's devastating'



A now-former pastor in Michigan is accused of planting a hidden camera in a church bathroom for at least two years, according to authorities.

Will Johnson, 37, had been a worship pastor/director at the 2|42 Community Church in Brighton, which is roughly 20 miles north of Ann Arbor. However, Johnson was terminated after a church staff member allegedly found a hidden camera in a "non-public, unisex bathroom in the [church’s] backstage area,” executive pastor of ministry operations Eric Rauch told the Detroit News.

'We so deeply want our community to know about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and your world gets flipped upside down.'

Craig Ryan — chairman of 2|42 Community Church’s leadership advisory team — informed ChurchLeaders, “Will Johnson, our former worship pastor/director, confessed to church leadership that he placed the camera in that location, and he was immediately terminated.”

Church leaders notified local authorities, and officials with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office on Friday night arrested Johnson at his home in Howell.

Johnson reportedly admitted to sheriff’s detectives that he had hidden a camera in a church bathroom intermittently for the last two years and targeted specific church employees who were known to use it.

On Sunday, Johnson was charged with tampering with evidence, using a computer to commit a crime, and surveilling an unclothed person — a felony.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison for the tampering with evidence charge, up to two years for the charge of surveilling an unclothed person, and as many as two years for the charge of using a computer to commit a crime.

Johnson was being held at the Livingston County Jail where his bond is set at $250,000.

Electronic devices were seized from his home and will undergo forensic analysis, the sheriff's office said.

Church leaders said in a statement posted to Facebook, "We are shocked and deeply saddened by this crime and violation of our community. The protection, safety, and privacy of every person who enters our church is our priority. We are fully cooperating with the sheriff's office as this is an ongoing investigation."

Rauch said, "It's devastating. We care so deeply about our community. We so deeply want our community to know about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and your world gets flipped upside down."

The 2|42 Community Church shared a video on YouTube detailing the disturbing allegations.

Ryan said in the video while fighting back tears, "At this time, the sheriff's office doesn't have any indication that cameras were placed elsewhere in the facility. Church leadership thoroughly searched all of our facilities yesterday, again today, and tomorrow. Out of an abundance of caution, we will engage the services of a third-party professional service to help us continue to do those sweeps."

Ryan noted that church officials at present don't know "the full scope of this crime."

“Our commitment to you is to be fully transparent and care for all the victims of this crime,” Ryan added.

Sheriff Mike Murphy stated, “All known victims have been identified and notified at this time.”

Johnson reportedly worked with the church for five years; he's scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday.

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'It was an ambush': Michigan sheriff's deputy, father of 3, shot dead as community deals with 'soul-crushing' loss



A Michigan sheriff's deputy – who is also a father of three young children – was shot and killed in an alleged ambush. Those in the community say the police officer's murder is a "soul-crushing" death.

Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Reckling – a 30-year-old father of three – had been trailing a reported stolen vehicle on Saturday night in Detroit. The alleged stolen vehicle – a 2022 Chevy Equinox – was reportedly stolen earlier in the day from the Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights.

Reckling – a member of the department's auto theft unit – was following the car in an unmarked law enforcement vehicle.

Suddenly, the stolen vehicle reportedly stopped, the individuals exited the car, and shot Reckling.

“The car suddenly stopped. Individuals exited that stolen vehicle and opened fire on our deputy. It was an ambush. That obviously triggered a whole bunch of things. The deputy was struck in the head, struck in the chest, the torso area. At 22:50 the officer down call went out. Obviously Detroit police and MSP flooded the area very quickly I’d like to thank and commend them for that," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a press conference on Sunday.

Police arrested three individuals believed to have been involved in the murder ofDeputy Reckling.

Bouchard stated, "They were doing what they do, being good detectives running down a lead on a car that had recently been stolen and trying to locate it. They do that every day, and lots of times they find a car abandoned and they call for a tow truck. This situation turned out not to be that at all. And that's the other thing about this job. You don't know what day will become that day."

Reckling was married with three children ages 5, 4, and 1. He was expecting a fourth child with his wife before his sudden death.

Reckling had been with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for nine years.

"You can just see in the faces and the eyes of our people how soul-crushing this is," Bouchard said.

Bouchard asked for prayers and donations to the Mission Oakland charity to financially support Reckling's family after his murder.

Bouchard added, "Our mission is to be there for them."

Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Morrison said of Reckling:

Brad was a loving husband, father, and amazing friend. He loved the outdoors. He was an amazing fisherman, loved to hunt, and enjoyed growing his farm and raising animals. Brad spent several months remodeling his home, giving his wife and three girls the best place to call home. Anyone who knew Brad knows it doesn’t take long for him to start cracking jokes and get him laughing. He was a great worker and amazing friend who would do anything for anyone. He was a prime example of what great parent, husband, and friends means, and he is loved by many and will be truly missed.

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Sheriff Bouchard Press Conference Regarding Deputy Bradley Reckling www.youtube.com

Grandma helped her granddaughter beat up elementary school girl after sneaking into bathroom: Police



A Michigan grandma allegedly helped her granddaughter beat up an elementary school girl, according to police. The grandmother allegedly snuck into the elementary school to fight the student inside a bathroom.

The unnamed woman was arrested on April 18. The grandmother was taken to the Genesee County Jail. The name of the grandma had not been released as she is pending arraignment.

The grandmother and the granddaughter were dropped off at the McMonagle Elementary School on Thursday.

Mt. Morris Township Police Chief Michael Veach said the pair were buzzed into the school under the guise of participating in a behavioral meeting.

Jamal Bransford – Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator of Westwood Heights Schools – said in a statement: "On Thursday, April 18 an unfortunate incident transpired at McMonagle Elementary School involving a grandparent of a student who managed to circumvent security protocols and gain unauthorized access to the school premises."

The grandma saw a young girl who her granddaughter was having trouble with, according to Veach. The couple reportedly followed the girl into a bathroom.

The grandmother held down the girl while her granddaughter punched her, Veach stated.

The Mt. Morris Township Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the alleged assault.

Bransford said, "It is crucial to emphasize that no other children in the school were involved or harmed during this incident."

"The safety and security of our students is our topmost concern. Our school administration is diligently implementing all necessary measures to prevent such breaches of security in the future," Bransford continued. "We are actively collaborating with the Mt. Morris Township Police Department to implement safeguards that will safeguard the well-being of our students and prevent similar incidents from occurring."

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Grandmother accused of facilitating fight at Mt. Morris-area school www.youtube.com

Prominent Detroit synagogue president found stabbed to death near her home, motive is still unknown



A prominent Detroit synagogue president was found stabbed to death outside of her home on Saturday morning. Michigan authorities are urgently attempting to piece together the facts of the apparent murder, and determine the motive for the tragic killing.

Police found multiple stab wounds on a lifeless body that led to a trail of blood leading to the victim's home – where police believe the crime was committed, Detroit deputies said in an email.

Michigan authorities identified the victim as 40-year-old Samantha Woll. Authorities pronounced Woll dead at the scene at around 6.30 a.m. on Saturday.

NBC News reported, "Authorities said a 911 caller early Saturday reported a person lying on the ground unresponsive at Woll's home. Police discovered multiple stab wounds on Woll’s body and found a trail of blood leading to her house, where they believe the crime occurred."

Woll was best known for being the Board President of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue.

The Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue said of Woll, "We are shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Samantha Woll, our Board President. May her memory be a blessing."

The Washington Post previously reported, "Woll was well known in Democratic politics, working on campaigns for local candidates and as the political director for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s reelection campaign during the 2022 midterm election and as a deputy district director for Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) for two years, starting in 2019, according to her LinkedIn page."

In 2017, the Detroit Jewish News selected Woll as one of its "36 under 36," describing her as "co-chair of the American Jewish Committee’s ACCESS Detroit Young Leadership Program and founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit, a grassroots organization aimed at building relationships between young adults of those faiths."

An investigation is underway, and the FBI is assisting. A motive still remains unknown.

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Detroit synagogue president found dead outside her home www.youtube.com

Video shows the moment hero customer guns down robber while holding a six-pack of Miller Lite beer



A wild video shows the moment a convenience store customer shot a robber while holding a six-pack of beer.

Video was released this week of the attempted robbery of a gas station convenience store in the town of Cassopolis in southwest Michigan.

Surveillance video shows a man dressed in black with a black face mask enter the Stone Lake Marathon Mini Mart on July 27.

Police said the suspect announced himself to the clerk by saying, "You know why I’m here."

A customer appeared to be going to the register with a six-pack of Miller Lite just as the suspect went behind the counter to reportedly threaten the store clerk. The convenience store employee puts his hands up as the suspect allegedly threatened him.

At the same time, the customer calmly took out his gun and shot the would-be robber while he was holding the six-pack of Miller Lite beer. The customer – who has a valid concealed carry permit – fired three shots. Moved to the side of the counter and shot three more times. Then he fired the seventh shot at the suspected thief.

The customer reportedly shot the suspect in the arm, back, and face. The alleged robber fell to the ground, and at that time, the customer ran to his car to get another magazine for his gun. The armed customer held the suspect at gunpoint until the police arrived at the crime scene.

The suspected thief did not have a gun during the robbery, but threatened the clerk with a box cutter, according to police.

The armed customer purportedly told police that he couldn't see what weapon was in the robber's hand, but he could see the look of fear on the clerk’s face.

The suspect was identified in court records as 35-year-old Cordelius Anthony Martin. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday.

He was charged with three charges, including armed robbery. Martin is reportedly a three-time felon, which means he could face up to life in prison for the attempted robbery.

He is being held on a $100,000 bond.

Meanwhile, the hero customer is waiting to find out if he will face charges for the shooting. Police are still investigating the shooting before deciding to file criminal charges against the beer-toting customer.

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz told WOOD-TV, "In Michigan, obviously, we do have defense of others as part of the law in Michigan, that you can defend others if they’re in a situation that there’s dangerous force being used against them. And certainly in this case, we’ll be looking at the facts in regard to that."

The store clerk told the news station that the hero customer "saved my life."

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(WARNING: Graphic video)

Video: Beer-toting customer shot at robbery suspect 7 times www.youtube.com

'Extraordinary' Michigan boy thwarts abduction of 8-year-old sister by shooting kidnapper with slingshot: Police



A Michigan boy is being heralded as a hero for allegedly using his slingshot to save his little sister from being abducted from their backyard, according to police.

The 8-year-old sister was reportedly hunting for mushrooms on Wednesday in the backyard of her home in Alpena, Michigan. Suddenly, a 17-year-old suspect emerged from the woods, covered the girl's mouth, grabbed her around the waist, and attempted to drag her into the woods.

The girl's 14-year-old brother was inside the family's home when he witnessed the attempted abduction. The boy sprung into action by grabbing his slingshot and running outside.

“He was able to grab his slingshot and was able to slingshot something that hit the suspect right in the head. And that caused him to let go. The girl was able to struggle and get away, and he shot another one hit the suspect in the chest, and then fled the scene,” said Alpena Post Commander Lt. John Grimshaw.

Michigan State Police released a description of the suspect, and he was quickly located – hiding at a nearby gas station. The suspect had injuries on his head and chest, which authorities said helped identify that he was the alleged kidnapper.

The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old male from Alpena.

Police said that the suspect allegedly confessed to detectives that he "planned on severely beating the victim."

The unnamed suspect was arraigned in the 88th District Court on Thursday. He was charged as an adult with one count of attempted kidnapping/child enticement, one count of attempted assault to do great bodily harm less than murder, and one count of assault and battery.

The suspect was taken to the juvenile section of the Alpena County Jail, and was being held on $150,000 cash bond.

Grimshaw credited the brother's heroic actions for saving the life of his sister.

"He really is the one, that I believe, saved his sister's life or from having something seriously bad happening to her," he stated. "For a 14-year-old to see that and to pop into action that quickly is extraordinary."

"It just goes to show that there's evil out there, and it can find anybody, anywhere," said Grimshaw.

Grimshaw gave advice to anyone in an abduction situation.

“Fight, fight, do everything you can. Bite the hand that’s being held over your mouth," he advised. "Stomp on their feet, kick them in the shin, do whatever you can to fight. And then if your mouth is free, scream as loud as you possibly can."

The suspect's next court date is scheduled for May 17.

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Brother Saves 8-year-old Sister Using a Slingshot on Attacker www.youtube.com

Serial Peeping Tom who videotaped hundreds of people, including children, once again released from custody



Career sexual deviant Erric Morton, 35, was arrested for planting numerous cameras in bathrooms around Ann Arbor, Michigan. Morton was charged with 12 felonies, including the possession of child pornography, capturing images of an unclothed person, and using a computer to commit a crime. He was arraigned on September 7.

Starbucks, Sweetwater Coffee, Vertex Coffee, Bath and Body Works, and Gallup Park were among the locations in which Morton hid cameras.

Some of his cameras were reportedly disguised as USB outlets, whereas others may have appeared as pens, which he clipped beneath sinks.

Police said the footage Morton captured he later distributed online.

Deputy Chief Jason Forsberg of the Ann Arbor Police Department told WXYZ-TV that, following a tip, the AAPD served two search warrants on July 22 with the support of the Michigan State Police's cybercrime unit. In Morton's possession, they allegedly "found hundreds of photographs and videos of people in various states of undress." Police also seized multiple electronics devices from Morton's home.

As police continue to determine precisely who and how many people were victimized, Morton walks free, having posted a $100,000 bond. It is unclear who raised the money.

Ann Arbor Police Lt. Bonnie Theil told WDIV, "We see it as tremendously heinous and just a horrible violation and we want to get him off the streets. ... Unfortunately, we see a lot of recidivism in sexual deviance crimes."

This is not the first time Morton captured images of unclothed people, including children, without their knowledge.

He was sentenced for similar crimes in 2006 by Washtenaw County Trial Judge David Dwartz under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act — an act that may have resulted in Morton's criminal predilection and record initially being hidden from the public.

According to court documents, in 2015 Morton was also charged with 17 felony counts related to the illegal capture and surveillance of unclothed people. Between 2010 and 2015, he had collected over 7,000 videos taken in the bathrooms at little league games.

Among his many offenses, Morton reportedly cut holes in portable toilets at Candy Cane Park in Ypsilanti. Whenever a victim would enter one of the surveilled toilets, he would enter an adjacent one. Ultimately, witnesses caught onto his scheme and called the police. Despite giving chase upon his discovery, he was later captured.

MLive noted that in addition to his toilet cameras, Morton employed a shoe camera, which he used to film underneath women's skirts.

He was released May 26, 2015, on a $10,000 bond. Nearly a year later, he was sentenced and thrown in jail.

After six years in prison, police believe Morton resumed peeping as soon as he was released on parole, on January 27, 2022.

Ann Arbor police indicated on September 9 that they were still attempting to identify additional victims. The AAPD has created a site for anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Morton to file a report.

Man foils carjacking, braving bullets and backing over his attacker



On September 4, two suspects, at least one of whom was armed, attempted to hijack a man's truck in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. All it took for their plan to backfire was for their would-be victim to buck up and back up.

WJBK reported that at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, the victim pulled into his driveway, near the intersection of Beech Daly and McDonald Street. One of two suspects approached the parked vehicle and allegedly attempted to steal the vehicle and the man's belongings.

Fearing for his life, the victim threw the truck into reverse and veered out of his driveway. According to police, the would-be carjacker came along for the ride, only he was riding outside and under.

Having later heard that the suspect had been dragged by the truck and seen the tire marks on the lawn, the victim's neighbor Lashawnda Miles told WJBK she was "glad no one else got hurt."

Man runs down carjacker in his driveway, escapes in hail of gunfire youtu.be

The second suspect, who can be seen at the end of the driveway in the surveillance footage made available by TCD Dearborn, took aim at the victim, fired four shots, and then fled the scene. No one, including the victim, was struck by the shots, although one bullet clipped a window across the street.

The failed carjacker was taken to hospital and remains in critical condition. The shooter is still at large.

In a reversal of roles elsewhere in the state that same day, a suspected carjacker nearly drove over Detroit police officers. The suspect, driving an SUV that had been reported stolen, had backed into a police car. He then drove over another police car, narrowly missing an officer "who had to roll out of the path of the hurtling large SUV." Police opened fire on the stolen vehicle, which they later recovered.

In Detroit, carjackings are up 40% since last year. Detroit is not, however, alone. The entire state has seen an increase in motor vehicle thefts.

In 2021, there were 21,909 reported motor vehicle thefts across Michigan, an increase of 13.6% over 2020.

After the release of the 2021 Crime in Michigan Report last Thursday, the Michigan Republican Party issued a statement criticizing Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for being "weak on crime" and for "fail[ing] to focus on keeping our neighborhoods safe."

According to Neighborhood Scout, the chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime in the Democrat-run state are 1 in 212, and the chances of becoming a victim of a property crime are 1 in 74.