Identity released of man shot by deputies in Mich.

8/15/2014

ADRIAN — Rick Ronald Pifer, 54, was the victim of a fatal shooting involving Lenawee County sheriff’s deputies Tuesday night, Michigan State Police and the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office have confirmed in a joint news release.

Four Lenawee County sheriff’s deputies were placed on administrative leave after the incident late Tuesday in which Mr. Pifer was shot and killed by deputies.

Authorities said Mr. Pifer was armed with a shotgun and ignored orders to drop the weapon.

The Michigan State Police and Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office, in a joint news release, stated that sheriff’s deputies responded at about 8:15 p.m. to a Fairfield Township residence “to enforce a court order for hospitalization.”

The order pertained to a 54-year-old man “who was suffering from mental illness and was in need of immediate evaluation,” according to the statement.

Relatives told deputies the man was paranoid and delusional, and the man was armed with a shotgun when deputies entered the residence.

“After the subject ignored repeated verbal commands to lower the weapon, the subject pointed the shotgun at the deputies, forcing them to discharge their firearms in self-defense,” the statement read.