A woman in Coloma, Michigan, died following a standoff with police where she was struck by a "less lethal round,” authorities said. The incident occurred early Wednesday, when the woman, whose name has not been released, called 911 claiming that people were attempting to set her house on fire, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
The situation escalated when a Coloma Township police officer arrived at her 200 block of Pearl Street residence to find her pointing a long gun. The officer retreated and requested backup. During several 911 calls, the woman expressed her intent "to shoot police officers," a narrative confirmed by a joint release from the Berrien County Sheriff's Office and Coloma Township Police Department, as reported by WOODTV. Officers worked for approximately 90 minutes to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly asking her to drop the weapon and leave her residence peacefully. Failing to comply, police were then forced to proceed with a search warrant.
As police attempted to execute the warrant and take the woman into custody, they resorted to using "less lethal" rounds. One of those rounds struck her in the upper chest, according to the authorities. She received emergency treatment on the scene and was transported to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead. "Less lethal" munitions are generally intended to incapacitate rather than to be fatal, designed primarily for impact.
An investigation into the shooting is being led by the Michigan State Police. The deputy who fired the less lethal round was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in these incidents. The neighborhood, described as a generally quiet area, was left in shock as the day unfolded with a visible heavy police presence. One resident, Patricia Culver, recounted, per WSBT, "Very weird, I've lived here 52 years, next door 12, and never. It's a very quiet neighborhood, used to be a lot of children, now it is a lot of us older people."
Further details regarding the incident or the identity of the woman are expected to emerge as the investigation continues. Neither local authorities nor Michigan State Police have yet to release more information following the incident.
