Slain Oakland County deputy's funeral planned while probe continues

Lina Portman1 week ago

0 2 minutes read

As police continued Wednesday to investigate the fatal shooting of Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Reckling, sheriff's officials announced plans to lay him to rest.

A funeral service is scheduled Friday for Reckling, who was gunned down on Detroit's east side Saturday while tracking a car that had been stolen from a Madison Heights waterpark. The services for Reckling, a 30-year-old father of three whose wife is expecting another child, are planned for 3 pm at the Apostolic Church, 3655 N. Squirrel Road in Auburn Hills, preceded by a 10 am-3 pm visitation at the church.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Reckling, a nine-year veteran, was trailing a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox belonging to a Rochester Hills couple that had been stolen from the Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights between 1 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Reckling was one of three detectives from the office's auto theft unit who cruised Detroit's east side searching for the vehicle near Park Grove and Schoenherr about five hours after the theft.

Bouchard said the Equinox stopped suddenly, and that its occupants opened fire on Reckling, who was shot twice. Detroit Police officers and Michigan State Police troopers cordoned off the area and flooded the neighborhood with officers. Three men were arrested, Bouchard said.

More: Two men arrested in Oakland County deputy's killing had earlier police run-in

Police must release arrested suspects if they haven't submitted a warrant to prosecutors seeking charges within 72 hours, according to Michigan law. That window has passed, although two of the three suspects are being held by police in connection with a March police chase that resulted in the men being charged with carrying concealed weapons and other charges.

The alleged driver's bond in the March case was revoked Monday, while his alleged passenger's bond was revoked Tuesday, according to online court records.

The status of the third suspect who was arrested in connection with Reckling's slaying was unclear Wednesday. Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller said her office had not received a warrant request from the Detroit Police Department.

“Police are investigating,” Miller said in an email.

The Detroit Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Reckling was the seventh Oakland County Sheriff's deputy to be killed in the line of duty. Prior to that, the office's most recent line-of-duty death was on Nov. 23, 2017 — Thanksgiving Day. Deputy Eric Overall was killed while laying “stop sticks” across M-15 in Brandon Township in an attempt to stop motorist Christopher Berak, who was being chased by Lapeer County deputies.

Berak hit Overall with his car, killing him. The driver was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

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Lina Portman

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