Investigators search for suspect in fatal shooting of Detroit-area officer

MELVINDALE, Mich. (AP) — Authorities investigating the fatal shooting of a Detroit-area police officer searched Monday for a suspect who was shirtless and riding a bike after the weekend confrontation.

Melvindale Officer Mohamed Said was killed Sunday while responding to a call about a suspicious person near a car wash, police said.

“My heart bleeds for the family; my heart bleeds for my officers,” Melvindale police Chief Robert Kennaley said. “This is something that should have never taken place.”

Said, 23, had been a Melvindale officer for only 14 months. He is the third Michigan police officer killed in the line of duty in less than a month.

“He saw these individuals with bags that didn’t have a vehicle,” Kennaley said. “They were just hanging around the car wash with all their bags, and he went in to investigate to get a feel of if they needed help, if they were homeless, just to understand what they were doing there.”

The chief said Said was shot during a physical struggle with the 44-year-old suspect.