By Sarah Cormier
C & G Staff Writer

MOUNT CLEMENS — An inmate waiting to receive care at the Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center was shot and killed by a veteran Macomb County Sheriff’s deputy after the prisoner grabbed a syringe and started using it as a weapon.

The incident occurred at around 6:15 p.m. on Nov. 5 inside the center, which is located at 1000 Harrington Blvd. in Mount Clemens.

According to Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel, early in the day, deputies from the Roseville Police Department had gone to the Macomb County Jail to pick up the 32-year-old prisoner, Jamin Totty, to take him to Roseville District Court, where he was arraigned for violating his probation related to an attempted theft charge.

Totty couldn’t make bond, so Roseville Police started to bring him back to the Macomb County Jail. On the way there, Totty began complaining of a medical problem, so they took him to the Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center for care. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Department was then contacted by the Roseville officers, who asked them to resume care over Totty. 

“We met them at the hospital to take the responsibility of guarding him,” said Hackel.

An officer was assigned to watch Totty, who was handcuffed to the gurney medical staff had asked him to lie on. However, somehow, Totty was able to get out of the handcuff and run out of the room.

“While the officer was sitting there with him waiting … the individual was able to make his way out of the handcuff,” explained Hackel.

The officer pursued Totty, who continued running down the hallway, running past a cart and grabbing a syringe off of it. Hackel described the item as being about 7 or 8 inches in total length, equipped with a 3-inch metal needle.

The officer quickly realized Totty had the needle and began ordering Totty to drop his “weapon” while backing up. Totty then began moving closer to the officer, who was stuck against a wall. The officer shot Totty, who was about an arms length away, once in the chest, killing him.

“He immediately went to the ground and medical personnel scattered around the place … immediately responded and tried to revive him through medical means,” said Hackel.

Diane Kish, media representative with the Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center, said that there was no comment on behalf of the hospital.

“In that particular incident we are referring all calls to the sheriff’s department,” she said.

The event is now being looked into.

“It’s an investigation on the entire incident … to try to make a determination what was the reason for this happening,” said Hackel.

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Cormier at scormier@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1095.