Detroit officer is shot dead and second wounded after a man looking for his girlfriend opened fire

Rasheen McClain was confirmed as the victim of the West Detroit shooting on the 20000 block of Wyoming Avenue last night

The Detroit police officer killed in a deadly shooting when a gunman opened fire with a high-powered rifle during a home invasion call on Wednesday night has been identified.

Lauded a ‘hero and natural leader’ by Detroit Police Chief James Craig, 16-year-veteran of the force Rasheen McClain was confirmed as the victim of the West Detroit shooting on the 20000 block of Wyoming Avenue last night.

McClain and his partner, Phillippe Batoum-Bisse, arrived first on the scene at 7:20pm, where they were greeted by ‘frantic’ occupants fleeing from the residence who told them there was a man armed with a rifle inside.

The two men summoned for back up, and when two addition officers arrived they all entered the home through the front door.

‘It’s no surprise to me that when McClain arrived on scene, he took charge,’ Craig said during a press conference Thursday. ‘He understood he was faced with a dangerous situation … and the officer made a conscious decision it was time to go in and deal with the dangerous situation.’

 

McClain and his partner, Phillippe Batoum-Bisse, arrived first on the scene at 7:20pm, where they were greeted by ‘frantic’ occupants fleeing from the residence who told them there was a man armed with a rifle inside

McClain and his partner, Phillippe Batoum-Bisse, arrived first on the scene at 7:20pm, where they were greeted by ‘frantic’ occupants fleeing from the residence who told them there was a man armed with a rifle inside

On McClain’s lead, the four officers moved quickly through the home, clearing the upper level and the main level first.  

Both of the floors were submerged in darkness. However, a light was on in the basement. 

The officers then slowly made their way down the basement stairs to locate the suspect.

As they descended, bodycam footage shows that the suspect emerged from a hiding place on the officers’ left-hand side, firing quickly twice, and fatally striking McClain in the neck and wounding Batoum-Bisse’s leg.

Reviewing the footage, Craig said it became immediately clear to investigators that the 28-year-old suspect has ‘had some type of tactical training’, but declined to specify further.

Meanwhile, as the two other officers backed-up to gain a tactical advantage, the suspect ran up the stairs and fled the residence.

A second gunfire fight then erupted outside as the additional officers – one armed with a shotgun and the other with a .40 pistol – engaged with the suspect several times as he fled.

The man was eventually struck by a single shotgun shell, sustaining a ‘serious’ injury to his arm causing him to drop the weapon.

According the Craig, the suspect was not fully disabled, however, and he continued running before being apprehended a block away.

‘It was very clear this suspect was trying to bait the officers and had a presence of mind,’ Craig said. ‘He wanted suicide by cop.’

As they descended down the stairs, bodycam footage shows that the suspect emerged from a hiding place on the officers’ left-hand side, and fired quickly twice, fatally striking McClain in the neck and wounding Batoum-Bisse's leg (pictured: the weapon used by the suspect)

As they descended down the stairs, bodycam footage shows that the suspect emerged from a hiding place on the officers’ left-hand side, and fired quickly twice, fatally striking McClain in the neck and wounding Batoum-Bisse’s leg (pictured: the weapon used by the suspect)

‘It was very clear this suspect was trying to bait the officers and had a presence of mind,’ Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. ‘He wanted suicide by cop.’

‘It was very clear this suspect was trying to bait the officers and had a presence of mind,’ Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. ‘He wanted suicide by cop.’

The police chief theorized the suspect had purposely left the lights off in the two upper floors, in a bid to bait the officers down stairs where he lay in waiting.

‘It’s easier to identify a target when the lights are on,’ he added.

Craig described the shootout as ‘part of a domestic situation,’ saying the ‘angry’ suspect had entered the home looking for his girlfriend.

Two weeks prior, the same individual had shot at the home after being denied access to see his estranged partner by one of her family members, Craig said.

McClain was remembered by the police chief as a ‘heroic leader’ who ‘made the ultimate sacrifice’.

‘This is a tragic day for the Detroit police family,’ Craig declared. ‘Certainly, our hearts and prayers go out to his family, certainly our community and all of the officers in the Detroit Police Department. He really is a hero.’

‘I’m always struck by the fact that we seem to lose the best of our officers in these tragedies, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan echoed. ‘The city of Detroit is lucky to have the finest police force in America and the whole city mourns one of our heroes.’

Craig described the shootout as ‘part of a domestic situation,’ saying the ‘angry’ suspect had entered the home looking for his girlfriend. Two weeks prior, the same individual had shot at the home after being denied access to see his estranged partner by one of her family members, Craig said

Craig described the shootout as ‘part of a domestic situation,’ saying the ‘angry’ suspect had entered the home looking for his girlfriend. Two weeks prior, the same individual had shot at the home after being denied access to see his estranged partner by one of her family members, Craig said

Batoum-Bisse, a National Guard veteran who has worked for the department for two-and-a-half years was first taken to hospital in a serious condition but is expected to make a full recovery.

The 28-year-old suspect, who has not yet been named pending his arraignment, remains at the Sinai-Grace Hospital in a serious condition.

He used an automatic assault rifle in the attack with an extended magazine and a folding stock.

Craig said the man was clearly trained to use the weapon and was skilled in his operation of it. He said the man has no military background but declined to clarify what training the he may have had when pressed by reporters.

He has a has a ‘lengthy’ criminal history including a number of violent crime, and was recently paroled parole having served eight years in prison on charges of unlawful weapon possession and grievous bodily harm.

His first criminal charge dates back to 2009, when he was just 14, which was a case of home invasion, Craig said.

Around 275 police officers, including those from surrounding states, showed up to Sinai-Grace Hospital to show solidarity with McClain last night.

But despite doctors’ best efforts he succumbed to his wounds. McClain is survived by his wife of 10 years and two beloved step-children.

‘He was a natural leader in all situations,’ Duggan continued about McClain. ‘Everyone looked up to him. In this case he was first through the door, first one down the stairs to confront the suspect. Unfortunately this urge resulted in a tragedy.’  

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