GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced on July 14, 2026, that Grand Rapids Police Officer Ben Howie will not face criminal charges in the May 30, 2026, fatal shooting of Eddie Deans Jr. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Becker concluded that Howie acted in lawful self-defense during a prolonged and violent encounter that included multiple threats to officers and civilians.

The incident began shortly after 1:16 p.m. when Freddie Deans called 911 from her home in the 1000 block of Alpine Avenue NW, reporting that her son, Eddie Deans Jr., had a knife, had tried to stab her grandson, and threatened to kill everyone in the house. Freddie Deans and three grandchildren evacuated and met police near the intersection of Alpine Avenue and 11th Street. Officers established a perimeter and did not immediately approach the residence.

Officer Jesse Boven positioned his patrol car in the alley behind the home. At 1:34 p.m., he saw Deans in a covered parking area and began to exit his vehicle. Deans threw a lit Molotov cocktail filled with lighter fluid over Boven’s car. During the standoff, Deans shouted profanities at officers, and police fired non-lethal projectiles at him while he was on the front porch.

At 2:32 p.m., Deans ran out of the residence and across the street, where he attempted to carjack a vehicle occupied by a family. A female passenger removed the keys from the ignition and threw them, prompting Deans to flee on foot. K-9 Officer Theodore VanVliet deployed his dog, Digo, to apprehend him.

Deans stabbed the police dog twice in the head. Officer Chase Ungrey fired non-lethal rounds at Deans, who took cover behind wooden stairs.

Officer Ungrey stated, "I watched Eddie run out from under the staircase in my direction. I observed a silver blade of the knife in Eddie’s left hand. I feared for my life as well as the lives of my partners who were in the backyard…" Officer Howie reported that Deans advanced toward officers holding knives in both hands and ignored repeated commands to stop.

Howie fired five shots, three of which struck Deans, including one to the head that caused his death. Howie estimated Deans was 10 feet away when he was shot and later stated, "I believed that if the suspect were able to reach me or my teammates, either myself or a teammate would be gravely injured or killed."

Becker emphasized that Deans had no alcohol or drugs in his system during the incident and cited his continued violence as justification for the use of deadly force. "Mr. Deans had been violent throughout this entire episode and had given no indication that he would comply with any order given by the Grand Rapids Police Department," Becker said. He added, "Under these circumstances, there was reasonable cause to believe he posed a danger of death or great bodily harm to the officers, allowing the use of deadly force in this incident."

Eddie Deans Jr., also known as Eddie Williams, was 46 years old at the time of his death. He had been convicted in the December 1995 killing of Badri Denise Mullen and was released from prison in February 2025. Kent County Probate Court records indicate he was diagnosed during incarceration with bipolar disorder, anti-social personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder.