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When this first hit the Detroit area air waves, it was reported that the man had a gun. Apparently he was unarmed:
From: http://www.detnews.com/2004/wayne/0407/27/b03-223591.htm
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Cops: Church intruder delusional
Attorney says cops shouldn't have killed unarmed suspect
By Karen Bouffard / The Detroit News
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP — Police believe a man shot dead by an officer after forcing his way into the Church of the Nazarene Child Care Center on Friday morning believed he was a biblical character and was searching for a “John†from the Bible.
And according to Michigan State Police records, religion may have prompted a run-in that the man had with the law in 1998.
Robert Steven VanBuren, 36, was shot once by an officer after Plymouth Township Police got a frantic 911 call from the church secretary about 8:15 a.m.
Teachers hustled about 10 children out the back door of the center as police arrived. Officers scuffled with the man, striking him six times with a Taser gun, designed to subdue people with an electric shock, but VanBuren continued to fight, police said. He was shot once in the chest after grabbing one officer’s gun belt and died, police said.
Police Chief Thomas Tiderington said police now believe VanBuren was delusional, and was searching for a John from the Bible.
“We’re finding he may have thought himself to be a biblical character — he asked his family to call him by the name Job,†Tiderington said.
According to Michigan State Police records, VanBuren was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Livonia in February 1998 after several drivers on M-14 near Haggerty Road called police to report a driver who was careening, causing traffic to back up for about 15 miles — and one driver reported he was side-swiped.
After a short scuffle, VanBuren told police that he was a born-again Christian and the world was coming to an end. He didn’t appear to be on alcohol or drugs at the time, police said.
Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger said it’s likely he will file a lawsuit within days on behalf of VanBuren’s family, who believe the man just wanted to get into the church to pray.
“It’s totally unacceptable for two armed police officers to shoot and kill an unarmed man,†Fieger said. “He does not have a history of mental illness, he didn’t do drugs or drink — he was highly religious, and he didn’t attack anybody.â€
From: http://www.detnews.com/2004/wayne/0407/27/b03-223591.htm
