The Michigan Department of Attorney General has concluded its review of the fatal shooting of Cameron Cothern by an Ingham County Sheriff’s Office Deputy on April 6, 2025. The department determined that no charges would be filed against the deputy, stating that the officer acted in self-defense and in defense of others present at the scene.
The investigation into the incident was carried out by the Michigan State Police First District Investigative Section. On the afternoon in question, multiple 9-1-1 calls reported a man walking along US-127 without a vehicle nearby. When law enforcement arrived, Cameron Cothern was found carrying a knife in each hand and approaching officers.
Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation for more than eleven minutes, repeatedly instructing Cothern to drop his weapons and assuring him they were there to help. Despite these efforts, Cothern continued toward officers and traffic with knives in hand. A Mason Police Department officer tried to use a taser without success. As Cothern advanced toward an officer who had fallen to the ground, an Ingham County Sheriff’s Deputy fired three shots, resulting in Cothern’s death.
Emergency medical aid was provided immediately after the shooting by both police officers and arriving responders.
In reviewing whether deadly force was justified, attorneys from the Department of Attorney General examined reports from several agencies involved, audio from emergency calls, body camera footage, citizen video recordings, photographs from the scene, autopsy findings for Mr. Cothern, and relevant use-of-force policies.
The department stated: “Law enforcement officers have the same privilege of self-defense as anyone else. An officer’s decision about the level of force necessary to control an individual will be based on the officer’s perception of the threat and the subject’s apparent ability to carry out that threat.”
“Here, under all of the facts and circumstances presented,” officials concluded that “the Ingham County Sheriff’s Deputy acted in self-defense and defense of their fellow responding officer when they fatally shot Cameron Cothern, who was attempting to attack responding officers at the time of his death.”
The Michigan Department of Attorney General reiterated its availability to assist with investigations into officer-involved shootings at requests from county prosecutors or law enforcement agencies statewide.
According to information available on its official website, this department works throughout Michigan on issues such as public safety initiatives and legal protections for residents across various situations. The office also advances social efforts through policy actions like anti-human trafficking measures and support for vulnerable groups (source). Dana Nessel is noted as serving as Michigan’s 54th attorney general (source).
A full report detailing this incident is available for public review (PDF).
