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Man Killed By Police After Mask Dispute At Michigan Store

GRAND LEDGE, Mich. (AP) — A man was fatally shot Tuesday by a Michigan sheriff's deputy after stabbing another man who had challenged him about not wearing a mask at a convenience store, police said.

The shooting occurred in Eaton County, southwest of Lansing, about 30 minutes after the stabbing at a Quality Dairy store, state police Lt. Brian Oleksyk said.

A sheriff's deputy spotted the man's vehicle in a residential neighborhood and shot him when he tried to attack her with a knife, Oleksyk said.

Sean Ruis, 43, of Grand Ledge died at a hospital. He earlier stabbed a 77-year-old man inside the Quality Dairy when he was confronted about not wearing a mask, Oleksyk said.

The stabbing victim was in stable condition at a hospital. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered people to wear masks in stores to reduce the risk of the coronavirus.

The decision about whether to wear a mask in public for some has become a political statement and there have been other instances of violent encounters over masks. In May, a security guard at a Family Dollar store in Flint was fatally shot after denying entry to a customer without a mask.

© 2020 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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