Summary

A DETROIT AREA MAN WHO WAS KILLED IN A SHOOT-OUT WITH POLICE WAS HEAVILY ARMED AND WEARING A BULLETPROOF VEST WHEN HE OPENED FIRE ON THE OFFICERS. THE SUSPECT, 29-YEAR-OLD DONTI JAMAL HENRY WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH FINGERPRINT RECORDS. THE COUNTY CORONER SAID TWO BULLETS HIT HENRY, ONE IN THE JAW AND THE OTHER FATAL SHOT IN THE NECK. AUTHORITIES SAID HENRY USED BOGUS DOCUMENTS TO TRY TO OBTAIN AN OHIO DRIVER'S LICENSE AT A STATE LICENSE BUREAU IN BOWLING GREEN, THEN FLED POLICE WHO RESPONDED AND LED LED STATE TROOPERS AND SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ON A 40 MILE CHASE ON SOUTHBOUND I-75. WHEN STATE TROOPERS CORNERED HENRY, HE JUMPED OUT OF A MINIVAN WITH A GUN IN EACH HAND AND OPENED FIRE ON THE OFFICERS. THREE TROOPERS AND A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY RETURNED FIRE DURING A SHOOTOUT THAT LASTED 34 SECONDS. HENRY SHOT AND WOUNDED TWO OHIO HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS AND A CANADIAN WOMAN SUFFERED A SUPERFICIAL GUNSHOT WOUND AFTER THE GUNMAN JUMPED INTO HER SUV AS HER HUSBAND WAS FILLING IT WITH GASOLINE. A COUNTY SHERIFF SAID IT WAS VERY LIKELY THAT ONE OF THE DEPUTIES, GREG PANNING, FIRED THE SHOT THAT KILLED HENRY. THE SHERIFF SAID DEPUTY PANNING WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD ABOUT 80 FEET AWAY, WITH A CLEAR SHOT AT HENRY, WHO WAS INSIDE THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE COUPLE'S SUV. "I LOOK AT MY DEPUTY AS A HERO BECAUSE HE MOST LIKELY SAVED THOSE TWO TROOPERS' LIVES" SAID THE COUNTY SHERIFF. AUTHORTIES ESTIMATED THAT OFFICERS FIRED 50 SHOTS AT HENRY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF THE COUPLE'S SUV WAS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS. THE COUPLE FROM LONDON, ONTARIO HAVE SINCE RESUMED A TRIP TO FLORIDA IN A REPLACEMENT CAR PROVIDED BY HANCOCK COUNTY. IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE TROOPERS KNEW AT FIRST THAT THE WOMAN WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH THE GUNMAN, BUT THAT A TROOPER YELLED TO OTHER OFFICERS AFTER SEEING HER. IT WAS A MIRACLE SHE DIDN'T GET SHOT OR KILLED. ANOTHER TROOPER FROM FINDLAY POST WAS SHOT IN THE RIGHT FOREARM AND UNDERWENT SURGERY. ANOTHER TROOPER, OF THE WALBRIDGE POST WAS SHOT IN THE RIGHT HAND AND TREATED FOR A SUPERFICIAL WOUND. a FEW OTHER TROOPERS HAD OTHER INJURIES. INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY HENRY FLED FROM OFFICERS AND FIRED AT THEM. BESIDES A .223 RIFLE AND A FOREIGN HANDGUN, THE GUNMAN HAD A THIRD WEAPON, ANOTHER HANDGUN IN THE VEHICLE AND WAS CARRING AMMUNITION. AT THE BOWLING GREEN LICENSE BUREAU, HENRY PRESENTED A GERORIA BIRTH CERTIFICATE THAT EMPLOYEES BELIEVED WAS FAKE. WHEN HENRY BECAME AGGITATED, THE EMPLOYEES CALLED CITY POLICE. DURING A SCUFFED, HENRY PULLED A GUN OUT OF HIS WAISTBAND AND FIRED A SHOT IN THE AIR. HE FLED THE OFFICE IN A MINIVAN WITH A MICHIGAN PLATE, DROPPED OFF A WOMAN NEAR THE INTERSTATE ENTRANCE , THEN DROVE ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT SPEEDS OVER 100 MPH. A SHORT TIME LATER, POLICE ARRESTED THE WOMAN, BARBARA JEAN CLARK, 27, OF SOUTHFIELD MICHIGAN, WHO WAS WALKING ALONG I-75. SHE WAS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT THEFT, A THIRD DEGREE FELONY AND REMAINED IN JAIL OVERNIGHT. INVESTIGATORS DISCOVERED THAT THE WOMEN, MS. CLARK WHO IS SOMEWHAT COOPERATIVE IS PREGNANT. HE SAID IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER HENRY IS THE FATHER. MS. CLARK WAS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT THEFT, BECAUSE HENRY USED FAKE DOCUMENTS TO TRY TO GET THE IDENTIFICATION CARD. DURING THE ENSUING CHASE, HENRY RAN OVER THREE SETS OF STOP STICKS PLACED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FINAL SET, PUNCTURED AT LEAST ONE OF THE VEHICLES TIRES, FORCING HIM TO EXIT I-75. AUTHORITIES SAID HENRY HAD A LONG RECORD OF DRUG AND TRAFFIC RELATED OFFENSES. HE WAS IMPRISONED FROM DECEMBER 2003 TO JANUARY 2004 FOR A DRUG DELIVERY OFFENSE IN WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND WAS WAS AWAITING SENTENCING ON A CONVICTION FOR A SIMILAR OFFENSE.