ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Michigan Attorney General's Office has determined it will not file criminal charges against the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office deputies involved in the fatal shooting of 34-year-old John Jenuwine.
The shooting happened in January in Ypsilanti following a police chase. Deputies said they believed Jenuwine was armed with a gun when his van crashed, but investigators later found no weapon inside the vehicle.
The decision has drawn strong criticism from attorneys representing Jenuwine's family, who say they will continue pursuing a civil lawsuit against the sheriff's office.
WATCH 7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock's story in the media player below:
Attorneys Maura Battersby and Todd Flood, who represent Jenuwine's family, said they remain committed to seeking accountability through the courts.
"He was the kind of brother everyone wants, the kind of son every parent wants to have," Battersby said.
Flood added, "My heart goes out to the Jenuwine family, our hearts are with them."
On Thursday, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that no charges would be filed against the deputies involved.
According to the attorney general's office, the investigation concluded the deputies reasonably feared for their lives and were legally justified in using deadly force.
"It's insanely wrong, it's just a wrong decision," Flood said in response to the announcement.
Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer previously addressed the shooting after releasing dash camera footage from the pursuit.
"Regardless of circumstances or what any investigation shows, any officer-involved shooting, especially where there is a loss of life, is devastating," Dyer said in January.
Following the attorney general's decision, Dyer released a statement Friday saying the sheriff's office will now conduct its own administrative review of the incident.
“The Attorney General's Office has concluded its review of the death of John Jenuwine and determined that criminal charges will not be brought against the four deputies involved. We respect the Attorney General's role in independently reviewing this tragic matter. The next step is for the Sheriff's Office to perform an administrative review that will evaluate the incident under our departmental policies and standards. We will not prejudge the outcome of that process.
The Attorney General's decision does not diminish the loss of Mr. Jenuwine's life or the grief of his family. We also recognize the profound impact that this incident has had on our community and the importance of addressing matters like this with care and respect.
The Sheriff's Office remains committed to accountability, public safety, and earning the trust of the community we serve. As civil litigation remains pending, we will address specific facts through the appropriate legal process. Questions about the criminal investigation should be directed to the Attorney General's Office and questions about the civil litigation should be directed to the County's Corporation Counsel. “
While the criminal investigation has concluded, the family's legal team says its civil case against the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office remains active.
"I think the civil case will bring out all of the facts and we will go at it," Flood said.
