Detroit— Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee on Monday vowed to investigate the death of a woman who was shot as she embraced an off-duty police officer during a party and the officer's holstered weapon discharged.
"To the family of Adaisha Miller, the deceased, on behalf of the Detroit Police Department and me being a father myself, I offer our sincerest condolences by what all apparent preliminary investigation indicates is a very tragic and unfortunate incident," Godbee said.
The woman, who was celebrating the weekend before her birthday, would have turned 25 Monday.
The shooting happened at 12:30 a.m. Sunday at a fish fry held at the officer's home on the 12000 block of Archdale, near Interstate 96 and Southfield, on the city's west side.The victim, Adaisha Miller, was dancing behind the officer and "there was some manipulation along the officer's waistline that he did not control" when the department-issued Smith and Wesson M&P-40, a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, fired and struck her in the chest, Godbee said.
"There was no indication the officer placed his hand on his weapon at all," he said.That model isn't equipped with an external safety, police said.Police on Monday identified the officer as Issac Parrish, a veteran officer who has been working for the department for nearly 16 years. Godbee said the off-duty holster the officer carried was soft enough for the trigger to be manipulated.
Miller was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead."While dancing, it's alleged that the female victim embraced the officer from behind, causing the holstered weapon to accidently discharge," police said in a press release late Sunday.The officer has been assigned to administrative duties while the department's Internal Affairs unit investigates the shooting.
Police will report their findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor's office for review."For this to happen to her, whether they want to call it freak accident or mistake in judgment, it should have never happened to my child, and there's nothing I can do to get her back," the woman's mother, Yolanda McNair, told WDIV-TV (Channel 4).McNair said her daughter was out to mark her upcoming birthday.
"All she wanted to do was enjoy the weekend for her birthday," she said. "She had every right to enjoy turning 25 and look beyond that."According to Detroit Police Department policy, it's at the officer's discretion to carry a weapon off duty. If one does, it must be concealed and holstered.
"To the family of Adaisha Miller, the deceased, on behalf of the Detroit Police Department and me being a father myself, I offer our sincerest condolences by what all apparent preliminary investigation indicates is a very tragic and unfortunate incident," Godbee said.
The woman, who was celebrating the weekend before her birthday, would have turned 25 Monday.
The shooting happened at 12:30 a.m. Sunday at a fish fry held at the officer's home on the 12000 block of Archdale, near Interstate 96 and Southfield, on the city's west side.The victim, Adaisha Miller, was dancing behind the officer and "there was some manipulation along the officer's waistline that he did not control" when the department-issued Smith and Wesson M&P-40, a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, fired and struck her in the chest, Godbee said.
"There was no indication the officer placed his hand on his weapon at all," he said.That model isn't equipped with an external safety, police said.Police on Monday identified the officer as Issac Parrish, a veteran officer who has been working for the department for nearly 16 years. Godbee said the off-duty holster the officer carried was soft enough for the trigger to be manipulated.
Miller was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead."While dancing, it's alleged that the female victim embraced the officer from behind, causing the holstered weapon to accidently discharge," police said in a press release late Sunday.The officer has been assigned to administrative duties while the department's Internal Affairs unit investigates the shooting.
Police will report their findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor's office for review."For this to happen to her, whether they want to call it freak accident or mistake in judgment, it should have never happened to my child, and there's nothing I can do to get her back," the woman's mother, Yolanda McNair, told WDIV-TV (Channel 4).McNair said her daughter was out to mark her upcoming birthday.
"All she wanted to do was enjoy the weekend for her birthday," she said. "She had every right to enjoy turning 25 and look beyond that."According to Detroit Police Department policy, it's at the officer's discretion to carry a weapon off duty. If one does, it must be concealed and holstered.
