In May 2015 a trespassing warrant tied to an eviction at his mother’s home led to a police attempt to stop 37-year-old Sean Michael Pelletier. Sean was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his 29-year-old brother, Aaron Pelletier. Aaron led officers on a multi‑agency pursuit that ended in Portage, Michigan, where officers moved to box the car in and the situation escalated.

Police say Sean armed himself with what was described as a high-powered military-style rifle. In the confrontation six officers fired; Sean Pelletier was struck and died at the scene. Aaron was wounded and taken to hospital. Stray rounds reportedly entered a nearby apartment but no one inside was injured.

The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor later reviewed the officers’ use of force and concluded the shootings were justified, finding the officers acted in self-defense and defense of others. Aaron was convicted of third-degree fleeing and eluding and felony firearm possession, received a two-year sentence, and spoke remorsefully at sentencing while saying he did not know about the rifle and a handgun in the car. Some of Sean’s siblings were arrested in a separate standoff with police after the incident.

Did anyone in the Portage area witness the chase or the moments before the shootout?