AG declines to charge deputies in 27-shot killing of John Jenuwine
The state determined no criminal liability exists for the officers involved in the January death, though the sheriff's office will continue an internal review.
By Priya Marino ·
The Michigan Attorney General's office has decided not to file criminal charges against four Washtenaw County deputies who shot and killed John Jenuwine in January. The determination was announced by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, closing the state's review of the incident.
On January 6, deputies responded to a report of an assault involving two suspects in a white van armed with a handgun. Upon arrival, they found a white van with its lights off. Dashcam footage shows Jenuwine behind the wheel. After he drove away during an attempted traffic stop, deputies pursued him for approximately 14 minutes.
The chase ended near Prospect and Michigan Avenue when Jenuwine's van collided with a sheriff's vehicle and flipped. A deputy reported seeing a gun at that moment. Flood Law, which represents Jenuwine's family in a civil lawsuit, stated that 27 shots were fired during the encounter.
An independent autopsy determined Jenuwine was shot seven times and died from blood loss. State police confirmed no gun was found inside the van. Flood Law argued that Jenuwine should never have been targeted by the officers.
The sheriff's office said it will continue its own internal investigation into the incident. The four deputies involved remain on leave pending the outcome of that review.
