Murdered MP ambushed by driver of stolen car

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

1 4 minutes read

In what authorities described as an “ambush,” a nine-year veteran of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office was fatally shot Saturday night while chasing a stolen car in Detroit.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard described the loss of Deputy Bradley Reckling as not only another tragedy for the department, but as one punch in a series of gut punches in recent years – which included a pandemic and three mass shootings: something “we obviously don’t do.” I want to have to talk about it or face it. But we did it.

“It's like a boxer. You wonder how many hits they can take and still stand,” he said of the department during Sunday's news conference.

Bouchard stood before the media, trying to make sense of the loss while preparing for the investigation that would follow Reckling's death.

Bouchard said that instead of giving up or running, the stolen car suddenly stopped on the city's east side, several individuals got out and shots were fired, hitting Reckling, 30, at the head and torso.

“The car stopped suddenly. Individuals got out of the stolen vehicle and opened fire on our deputy. It was an ambush,” Bouchard said during the press conference on Sunday.

The pursued vehicle, a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, belonged to a Rochester Hills resident and was stolen from Red Oaks Water Park between 1 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Bouchard said. Reckling was one of three detectives from the office's auto theft unit searching for the vehicle in Detroit and located it before 10:50 p.m. at Park Grove and Schoenherr.

Detroit police and Michigan State Police flooded the area. Law enforcement quickly established a perimeter and three people were taken into custody. The Oakland County sheriff said he received a call about the shooting “within minutes” from Detroit Police Chief James White.

White praised Detroit and Michigan State Police in an article on X for their “swift and thorough response” to the shooting and said the homicide task force would lead the investigation.

White also offered his condolences to “the family, friends and colleagues of Congressman Bradley Reckling.”

“To our law enforcement partners in Oakland County, please accept my sincere admiration for the courage you will continue to demonstrate as you meet the challenges of the coming days,” he said.

Reckling is survived by his wife and children ages 5, 4 and 1, and his wife is expecting another child, Bouchard said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was “deeply saddened” by Reckling’s death. “My heart goes out to his family and the Oakland County communities he served,” she said on Facebook.

Bouchard said his staff has weathered many challenges, including the pandemic, the 2021 shooting at Oxford High School, the 2023 shooting at Michigan State University and the shooting earlier this month at a fountain. water, and now Reckling's death.

“At this point, our priority, besides getting justice from the criminal justice system, is how we support a family and an agency that has been crushed,” Bouchard said. “Things like this are heartbreaking.”

On November 30, 2021, four students, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling, were fatally shot at Oxford High School, and six other students and a teacher were injured.

On February 13, 2023, three students, Arielle Anderson, Alexandria Verner and Brian Fraser, were fatally shot at Michigan State University and five others were injured.

And on June 15, nine people were injured in a shooting at a Rochester Hills wading pool.

Bouchard also called for help for the family and more mental health resources for public safety officers.

“It's been a challenge. It's been a difficult task. Looking at our people and seeing their pain, it's been hard on them,” he said, referring to the attacks in the county.

“We know that over the past several years, line-of-duty deaths have been terrible,” Bouchard said. “Ambushes have increased dramatically. Now we have another example. … The one thing most people don't realize is that officer suicides exceed the number of line-of-duty deaths. their duties over the past two years.

“The pressure on law enforcement, on public safety in general, is therefore enormous, and it has harmful consequences.”

Bouchard said people wishing to help the family can make donations directly to the deputy's family through Mission Oakland, an approved charity, and can encourage officials to increase funding to support law enforcement officers. 'law application.

At the press conference, Bouchard read his colleagues' statements about Reckling. Reckling, who recently joined the auto theft unit, was considered hardworking, helpful and “larger than life.”

“Brad was one of the most selfless colleagues and one of the most devoted husbands…there is no other way to describe him than the best person,” a colleague said.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement that she was “shocked and saddened” to learn of Reckling's death and offered her condolences to his family.

“Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe. This is a senseless killing and a terrible loss for our entire community,” McDonald said in the statement. “This is also another tragedy caused by gun violence, which continues to take a significant toll on our community.”

State Rep. Kelly Breen, chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee, also released a statement Sunday.

“The death of a first responder in the line of duty is a tragedy, but following the police officers confronted with the recent mass shooting in Rochester Hills is horrific,” Breen said in the release. “While this is little comfort, I am pleased that Michigan State Police personnel were able to quickly make arrests, and I hope the defendants are quickly brought to justice.

“My heart goes out to Detective Reckling’s family and all the brave men and women of the Sheriff’s Department who continue to risk their lives to keep our hometowns safe.”

Romeo High School, from which Reckling graduated, offered its condolences.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Officer Brad Reckling, one of our Romeo graduates. Our hearts go out to his wife, Jacqueline, and his four children,” the message said.

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Lina Portman

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