Michigan Authorities Investigate Deadly Holland Police Shooting of Latino Man
Friends of Eladino Fraire gathered Tuesday afternoon to vent their frustrations. "We just want to know the truth," said Donny Sanders, a longtime friend of Fraire. Fraire was shot to death by a Holland police officer early Friday morning. According to investigators, Fraire was spotted driving at a high rate of speed on 16th Street near US-31 about 2 a.m. Friday. Holland police tried to stop him. But they say he continued on an erratic course, up and down Waverly Road, through a parking lot, and then rammed another Holland police car. An officer who arrived at the scene thought the chase was over when Fraire struck the patrol car. "And then, the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Frarie, backed his car up, changed directions and drove his vehicle at the officer who was on foot," said Grand Haven Michigan State Police Post Commander First Lieutenant David Roesler. The officer fired several shots, hitting Fraire twice. One of the rounds killed Frairie. But Sanders questions why the incident went that far. "Many, many other ways they could have went about this, besides just opening fire." Sanders also said Frarie was an epileptic, and suggests that may be the reason for his erratic driving before the shooting. But Lt. Roesler says the driving witnessed by Holland police appeared to be intentional. "It wasn't due to a seizure or driving off the road because somebody had a seizure." [more] and [more]