DETROIT (AP) â A Michigan State Police trooper has resigned after firing his Taser at a 15-year-old Detroit boy who subsequently crashed an all-terrain vehicle and died, and he could still face criminal charges, police said Tuesday.
Mark Bessner resigned Sept. 22 and two other state police employees were suspended Sept. 26 in connection with the death of Damon Grimes, state police spokeswoman Shanon Banner said in an email. Bessner had been suspended amid an ongoing investigation.
âOur investigators do feel the investigation supports criminal charges, but that decision will ultimately be made by the Wayne County Prosecutorâs Office,â Banner wrote.
Bessnerâs lawyer has said his client made a split-second decision under tough circumstances. The Associated Press sent the lawyer an email seeking further comment Tuesday.
Grimesâ Aug. 26 death prompted protests and a $50 million lawsuit from his family.
State police began submitting information from the investigation to the prosecutorâs office on Friday, Banner said. She said âsome piecesâ are still being sought to complete the investigation, which is nearly complete.
Banner didnât detail what prompted the other suspensions, but told The Detroit News on Monday for a report about Bessnerâs resignation that the suspensions were âappropriateâ based on the agencyâs investigation.
Following Grimesâ death, state police announced that troopers would no longer conduct high-speed chases in Detroit in response to traffic violations or misdemeanors.