WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Community activists and loved ones of John Zook Jr. repeatedly shouted "shame" at Wayne City Council's meeting Monday after the majority of council members declined to take up one member's motion to release the police body camera footage, the 911 call and the results of the Michigan State Police investigation to the public.
Zook, 40, was shot and killed by a Wayne Police Department officer the afternoon of June 18 after he called 911 to report he was suicidal and having a mental health crisis.
"I'll tell you this has been the toughest thing in my life. I've been through a lot of stuff, but this has been the toughest," said Zook's father, John Zook Sr., who retired as a sergeant from Highland Park police and fire.
A police official and an attorney for the city of Wayne allowed John Zook Sr. and his wife to view the footage privately and the Zooks say it does not match police claims that their son did not comply and charged at officers after he opened his door for them.
"They said, 'Put the knife down. Put the knife down.' He puts the knife down to his side and then they said, 'Taser. Taser.' They tased him and in a split second, they shot him six times," John Zook Sr. said.
Attorney Todd Perkins, who is representing the Zook family, told 7 News Detroit that they filed a request for the video under the Freedom of Information Act four weeks ago and are still waiting.
"We want to pressure the Wayne police to release it voluntarily," Perkins said. "Now that we've learned that MSP has completed its investigation and turned its file over to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, there's no reason not to let the public see this. And don't say that it is to protect the family. They've seen it and want it released."
Trische Duckworth of Survivors Speak was one of the community activists who has been pushing for the release of the police videos as well as John Zook Jr.'s call to 911.
"If in fact nothing was wrong, why not release the tapes so the public can be assured that you did your job," said Duckworth.
At Monday's meeting, Councilman Eric Cleereman was poised to vote for the release the police bodycam footage when he put up a motion to release it as well as John Zook's 911 call and the results of the state police investigation. But no other members supported it and it quickly spun into another council member's motion to adjourn.
"They don't want nobody to see how this officer murdered him," said Brooks Edwards, the mother of Zook's fiancée.
Brian Silverstein of Detroit Will Breathe pointed out that police departments around Michigan and across the country have released bodycam footage of officer-involved shootings the day of the incident and he said Wayne police are not being transparent and could have released the video before and during the investigation by Michigan State Police.
"In Detroit in 2020 when Detroit police shot and killed Hakim Littleton, they released that bodycam footage within hours. The investigation had hardly begun, so we know it's nothing to do with that. That's an excuse, which tells us there is truly something foul afoot here," Silverstein said.
Wayne's Deputy Police Chief Finley Carter said at this time, they are not going to release the video. Carter said there are a lot of emotions surrounding the case and they're still deciding if it's in the public interest to release it.
A spokesperson from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said they recently received the case from MSP and will be reviewing it for a charging decision.
John Zook Sr. believes charges will ultimately be filed against the officer who shot and killed his son as well as a second responding officer.
"When they look at evidence, I think they should be charged," John Zook Sr. said.
