Long-Simmering Feud Ends In Backyard Brawl With 1 Dead Allegedly At Hands Of Off-Duty Cop
DETROIT (WWJ) - An off-duty police officer is accused of killing his neighbor during a backyard brawl on Detroit's west side.
Police say the situation unfolded around 8 p.m. Monday on Whitcomb Avenue, near Joy and Greenfield roads.
The officer, who works for Lathrup Village police, was grilling food in his backyard when his 41-year-old neighbor hopped the fence. The two got into a physical altercation, according to police, and at some point the officer allegedly struck his neighbor in the head.
The man was declared dead at the scene. The officer was taken back to the police department for questioning.
Maurice Brown lives across the street and says his neighbor seems like a normal guy: "Periodically, just visiting they guy, 'hi, good morning' ... friendly neighbor," Brown says of the off-duty cop.
He says the man living next door to the police officer occasionally had run-ins with other neighbors but had never heard of those two having run-ins.
Police said Tuesday morning that he was released from custody and is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Officials are awaiting an autopsy for an official cause of death. A report will then be sent to the prosecutor's office, which will determine if any criminal charges are warranted.
Police say no weapons were used during the incident, which was called in as a "fatal self-defense case." Authorities have not yet said what the neighbors were fighting about.
An investigation is ongoing.
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