Ambulance leaves scene at approx 9:39 a.m.; roughly 30 minutes after the shooting happened and 40 minutes after original call. Photos by Greg Peterson
Editorial: Breakdown in U.P. and Marquette County mental health care, and not enough training on defusing a situation are among factors in the shooting of an elderly Ishpeming man
Ishpeming Township June 9, 2016 Shooting Timeline:
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Original Call 200 Block of Silver St.: 8:50 a.m.
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Shooting call approx 9:10 a.m.
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(U.P. Breaking News on scene approx 9:25 a.m.)
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Paramedics, police doing CPR as they leave house with victim on a stretcher: 9:36 a.m.
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Ambulance leaves the scene 9:39 a.m.
2005 Marquette County Sheriff’s Dept. Policy for Nonlethal Force by Police
Why did it take 30 minutes to transport the shooting victim?
Besides the usual funding excuse, they are Marquette County and other U.P. and nonlethal force are almost strangers? Others have been shot by U.P. Law enforcement.
Why did it take so long to transport victim – despite CPR and possible defib?
Why is Pathways Community Mental Health allowed to provide poor services – again funding is blamed because of the lethal Snyder Administration whose policies are not life-friendly?!
This will lead to more suicides – we should care!
News Director, Owner
I think it was likely “Suicide by Cop” yesterday in west Ishpeming.
But there are many very serious questions in the aftermath of the shooting of a despondent elderly west Ishpeming man in chronic pain.
The shooting by a Marquette County Sheriff’s Dept. deputy painfully shows the Upper Peninsula – like access to U.P. public records – is light years behind the rest of the nation when it comes to readily available non-lethal force.
Officers should be trained to defuse and back off – call in experts. That obviously was not done – every cop should have backed out.
Why did it take 30 minutes to rush the victim to the hospital?
There is an old saying in the paramedic game – yes you do CPR, yes to shock (defibrillator) if needed but you always “scoop and run.”
Why are Upper Peninsula law officers not better trained in non-lethal force – and to back out – not increase the drama?
With all of today’s non-lethal force avenues – those who fund – or do not fund – nonlethal force in the Upper Peninsula should be ashamed. Again money over people.
Why wasn’t non-lethal force used – because there appeared to be numerous cops on the scene when shooting occurred.
The first media on the scene, Upper Peninsula Breaking News had been on the shooting location roughly five minutes or longer when – all of a sudden – out of the blue – a somewhat grumpy Michigan State Trooper began shouting at me.
The bristly trooper shouted that cops were going to cordon off the scene. While the tape shows the trooper used the proper polite words – he then started giving me a “count to five” or I presume he would have arrested me.
I get it – there is a syndrome called Suicide by Cop – especially if there is a sadness, poverty, loneliness and chronic pain (today little is done to help those who legitimately need pain relief due to the epidemic of pill heads).
Over the past two years, the rash of suicides across the Upper Peninsula and in Marquette County is stunning.
Now all but completely inept Pathways Community Mental Health has little funding or tools to do much about it. I believe Pathways employees care – and the administration plays the cards they are dealt from Lansing – but the system is a joke.
So I can believe that this elderly guy may have wanted to be shot by the cops – not sure – but it is certainly plausible.
U.P. Breaking News has been conducting an investigation of how Pathways is letting the public down through fewer services, lack of funding (budget cuts) and mismanagement.
Upper Peninsula Health System Marquette is benefiting greatly from financial-clumsiness of Pathways.
For example, for just one client/patient it is costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.
U.P. Health System Marquette paramedics (ambulance runs cost $1,400 or so per incident) – have responded to an estimated/roughly 100 calls over past two years for this one client.
U.P. Health System Marquette – a Duke LifePoint Hospital that has saved lives in the U.P. – also stands to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on this patient alone.
At issue is weekly calls to the same residence on the 8th floor of Pine Ridge Apartments in Marquette because of a male Pathways client in his early 20’s who suffers from chronic panic attacks and other issues – and yet it housed near the top of Pine Ridge Apartments.
Why hasn’t the Marquette Housing Commission – which oversees Pine Ridge – addressed this and other issues.
Pine Ridge Apartments used to be for the low income elderly – now it is a dumping ground for Pathways clients.
U.P Breaking News calls for the state of Michigan and U.P. Health System Marquette (Duke LifePoint) to account for this improperly handled situation – one of many.
By not addressing the needs of this client, Pathways has also wasted the resources of the city of Marquette Fire department and the city of Marquette Police Department – who often are sent to the call.
Its actually a painful joke at 911 Central Dispatch because this reporter has heard many dispatchers put out the call on the radio in a somewhat sarcastic way – and who can blame the !!!
They care at Marquette County Central Dispatch – but Pathways is asleep at the wheel thanks to the Snyder Administration that shows little care for those with mental health and poverty issues.
Remember the Snyder Administration poisoned a generation of low income kids in Flint and elsewhere. A state scapegoat or two have been arrested – but its common knowledge among Snyder Administration employees know you do not dissent or challenge their boss’s political ideas. Plus the U.S. EPA should be ashamed at the very least.
Numerous friends and relatives of suicide victims have told U.P. Breaking News that Pathways is letting down the public.
There are many horror stories at Pathways since budget cuts under the Snyder Administration.
This is just one terrible, sick incident:
Did you know – a Pathways contracted home for clients in Ishpeming where the woman in charge was feeding moldy sandwiches to blind pathways patients in her case – many thought that was oddly ironic since she was extremely morbidly obese at the time – and this reporter has dealt with weight issues.
We mention the obesity because she was repeatedly feeding the MOLDY SANDWICHES. I dare the state to deny the moldy sandwiches as a half-hearted state probe was conducted.
The investigation is being handled by Michigan State Police and will be reviewed by the Marquette County Prosecutor’s office.
U.P. Breaking News strongly urges these officials to not simply state the shooting was justified – but rather identify and investigate the system problems with non lethal force, inept and wasteful Pathways services to those with depression, and how those in the entire top to bottom mental health response system not only allows it to happen but profits from it.
In fact – if there was ever a time to form a grand jury it is now – to find out what happening to those who need our help the most – but are being failed by the system.
This is why we need a regular Grand Jury system in Michigan – in other states state and local grand juries make findings and demand probes – when local bureaucrats and politicians do not have the courage.
The poster child for misuse of grand juries is said to be the Upper Peninsula:
In fact, the infamous and violent 1913 copper miners strike and related uprisings in the U.P. is being credited with starting the use of grand juries for political revenge with politically powerful company bosses vs miners in Michigan, according to a newsweek story.
“The forces that ran the local government, who were almost unanimously pro-management, evaded justice for the bulk of their crimes. They did this by manipulating the legal process. Of particular note: They rigged a grand jury into failing to indict for some very public and obvious crimes.“
If political bosses and officials do not do their job – someone has to.
Suicide by Cop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_by_cop
http://www.suicide.org/suicide-by-cop.html
Marquette County and U.P. Suicides (see below is a list of Michigan suicide prevention help agencies)
https://www.facebook.com/Upper-Peninsula-Suicide-Prevention-Coalition-165690650165444/
https://www.facebook.com/AFSPnational
See U.P. Breaking News stories on suicide including Nov. 11, 2015 story
https://plus.google.com/+UpperPeninsulaBreakingNewsGregPeterson/posts/S8Cyw8kZwY2
Dial Help Community Support & Outreach Center
Houghton, MI
If you are in immediate crisis:
Call: (906) 482-HELP (4357)
Text: (906) 35-NEEDS (63337)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Available 24 hours everyday
Marquette County Sheriff’s Department
http://co.marquette.mi.us/departments/sheriff_s_office/index.php#.V1rsETVyyRk
205 MCSD Nonlethal force policy
Marquette County Sheriff Michael Lovelace
mlovelace@mqtco.org
MCSD Undersheriff Michael L. Klein
mklein@mqtco.org
Pathways Community Mental Health
http://www.pathwaysup.org/SitePages/index.htm
Marquette Housing Commission/Pine Ridge Apartments in Marquette, MI
U.P. Health System Marquette, a Duke LifePoint Hospital
Marquette County 911 Central Dispatch
http://www.co.marquette.mi.us/departments/central_dispatch/index.php#.V1r3NjVyyRk
U.P. Police shootings
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/06/deputy_shoots_kills_elderly_ma.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/01/geoffrey_fiegers_law_firm_sues_1.html
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/parents-police-officer-murdered-unarmed-son-in-michigan-u-p-
Grand Jury system adopted in many states rarely used in Michigan – except for federal court – because it acts as watchdog and critic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_jury
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_juries_in_the_United_States
http://research.lawyers.com/michigan/criminal-process-in-michigan.html
http://www.lawqa.com/qa/when-grand-jury-used
https://www.uakron.edu/dotAsset/91d6804c-df7f-46e6-b077-641541df1225.pdf
http://www.newsweek.com/scot-free-why-grand-jury-system-should-be-reformed-290763
Marquette County suicide prevention group forming
Marquette County Suicide Prevention Coalition | WNMU-FM
Suicide prevention coalition formed in Marquette County
Upper Peninsula Suicide Prevention Coalition – Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Upper-Peninsula-Suicide-Prevention-Coalition-165690650165444/
Marquette County – Suicide Prevention Alliance
Aug 21, 2015 – Let’s Talk: A Community Conversation About Suicide Prevention Event … The Marquette County Suicide Prevention Alliance is pleased to offer
Local alliance focuses on suicide prevention | Marquette
Michigan Suicide Prevention Contacts:
Alger, Luce & Schoolcraft Counties
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Barb Smutek 906.635.8629 bsmutek@saulttribe.net
Allegan County
Mimi Gabriel mimigabriel61@gmail.com
Amy Embury 269.673.6617 ext. 2711 aembury@accmhs.org
Alpena County
Pamela Lloyd-Gorski 989.354.9104 pamlg@i2k.com
Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska & Leelanau Counties
Micki Jannazzo 231.922.4802 mjannazzo@thirdlevel.org
Arenac & Bay Counties
Trisha Charbonneau-Ivey 989.895.2381 tivey@babha.org
Baraga County
Pam Dove 906.524.3449 pdove@bcmh.org
Berrien, Cass & St. Joseph Counties
Trent Watford 269.428.7226 trentwatford@gmail.com
Branch County
Bruce Sweet 517.279.8404
Charlevoix & Emmet Counties
Andrew Sahara, PhD 231.347.6701 asahara@norcocmh.org
Chippewa County
Dr. Barbara Weber 906.635.7270 weber1222@sbcglobal.net
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Barb Smutek 906.635.8629 bsmutek@saulttribe.net
Clinton County
Christian McDaniel 989.224.5300 mcdaniec@ceicmh.org
Debby Kloosterman 517.668.0185 klooster@edzone.net
Crawford and Roscommon Counties
Nicole Ellens 989.366.1105 Nicole.ellens@nlcmh.org
Delta County
Ann Buchler 906.399.4950 abuchler@dsnet.us
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Barb Smutek 906.635.8629 bsmutek@saulttribe.net
Dickinson County
Tina Tappy 906.774.0273 teetappy@charter.net
Eaton County
Polly Brainerd 517.541.8939 pbrainerd@eatonisd.org
Gratiot County
Bob Radaz 989.466.4163 bradaz@gccmha.org
Hillsdale County
David King 517.796.4519 david.king@lifewayscmh.org
Huron County
Kathie Harrison 989.269.0373 kathie@huroncmh.org
Iron County
Bill Reid 906.779.0637 breid@nbhs.org
Jackson County
David King 517.796.4519 david.king@lifewayscmh.org
Kalamazoo County
Guy Golomb 269.381.1510 ggolomb@gryphon.org
Kent County
Barbara Hawkins-Palmer 616.632.7281 barb.hawkins-palmer@kentcountymi.gov
Lake, Mason & Oceana Counties
Jim Thomas 231.843.5431 JimT@wmcmhs.org
Lenawee County
Kathryn Szewczuk 517.263.8905 KSzewczuk@LCMHA.org
Livingston County
Leslie Hall 517.546.4126 x580 lhall@cmhliv.org
Mackinac County
Ann Belonga 906.643.8442 abbelonga@sault.com
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Barb Smutek 906.635.8629 bsmutek@saulttribe.net
LIFT (Lucas Izzard Foundation for Teens)
Lisa Burnside 906.484.2298
Macomb County
Gary Burnett 586.948.6104 gary.burnett@mccmh.net
Marquette County
The Marquette County Suicide Prevention Alliance Sarah Derwin 906.315.2621 sderwin@mqtco.org
Menominee County
Dan McVane 715.735.9820 brmcvdan@gmail.com
Midland County
Kathy Dollard 989.837.0708 kdollard@cmhcm.org
Missaukee & Wexford Counties
Ken Nydam 231.876.3280 ken.nydam@nlcmh.org
Monroe County
Larry Csokasy 734.240.1770 larry.csokasy@mercymemorial.org
Montcalm County
Penny Dora 616.225.6136 pdora@maisd.com
Muskegon County
Michael Pyne 231.724.6618 michael.pyne@muskegoncmh.org
Newaygo County
Mike Geoghan 231.689.7330 mgeoghan@newaygocmh.org
Oakland County
James Perlaki 248.451.3738 jperlaki@commongroundhelps.org
Saginaw County
Nancy Johnson 989.797.3546 njohnson@sccmha.org
Sanilac County
Nancy Dean 888.580.5437 FREE ndean@sanilaccmh.org
Shiawassee County
Penny Corbin 989.723.0709 pcorbin@shiacmh.org
St. Clair County
Amy Smith 810.966.7830 asmith@scccmh.org
Tuscola County
Susan Walker 989.550.8283 susaneawalker@yahoo.com
Van Buren County
Liz Courtney 269.655.3341 lcourtney@vbcmh.com
Washtenaw County
Michelle Rose Armstrong 734.368.1114 michellerosearmstrong@gmail.com
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 