Isaiah Kirby had a job interview lined up at the Austin Zoo. He was weeks away from earning a zoology degree from Michigan State University. He had spent years studying herpetology, the branch of science focused on reptiles and amphibians, and had been working part time at Potter Park Zoo. His family described a young man who had loved snakes since he was a toddler and was finally on the verge of turning that passion into a career.
He never made the interview. On the evening of April 15, East Lansing police shot and killed him outside a business plaza at the corner of Lake Lansing and Abbot roads. He was 21 years old.
Kirby, a native of Owings Mills, Maryland, was identified by police as the suspect in a stabbing that occurred minutes before officers arrived on the scene. His family says what happened next raises serious questions about the use of force, the number of shots fired and why, weeks later, no video has been made public.
What police say happened
East Lansing Police Chief Jennifer Brown said at a news conference following the shooting that officers initially responded to a reported theft at a nearby business. While en route, a second call came in indicating that a man had approached another business and stabbed a victim multiple times.
When officers arrived, Brown said they encountered a suspect who appeared to have blood on him and was holding what looked like a weapon. She said the man ran toward officers, who gave repeated commands to drop the knife. When he did not comply, officers opened fire.
The Michigan State Police are conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. Neither agency has disclosed how many officers were involved or how many shots were fired.
Seventeen wounds
Kirby’s mother, Karyn Kirby, said she counted at least 17 bullet wounds on her son’s body. The extent of his injuries, along with the condition of his face, led her to choose cremation and forgo a public viewing.
She described the moment she was brought to identify him as something no parent should ever have to survive. The family’s attorney, Teresa A. Caine Bingman, has filed formal written demands to both the East Lansing Police Department and the Michigan State Police requesting immediate access to all complete, unedited video footage from the incident.
The East Lansing Police Department has said it is reviewing footage and plans to release a compiled video timeline along with the names of the officers involved in the coming weeks. Bingman said the family will not accept a curated version of events.
A tip line and a demand for truth
The Kirby family has set up a tip line, Justice for Isaiah Kirby, at 1-844-9ISAIAH (1-844-947-2424), collecting any audio, video or eyewitness accounts related to the shooting. Bingman said her office is conducting its own independent investigation and is urging anyone with information to come forward.
Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz contacted Karyn Kirby directly to offer his condolences. On April 23, students gathered on campus to honor Kirby’s life. Bingman said the response from the university community has reflected the kind of person Kirby was and the impact he left behind.
What the family is asking for
Karyn Kirby said in a statement that her son was loved deeply, that he had worked hard to build a future, and that he deserved the chance to live it. She described a young man whose entire world centered on animals, science and the quiet ambition to do something meaningful.
The Ingham County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that Kirby’s case remains under investigation and has directed additional questions to law enforcement.
As the investigation continues, the family’s central demand has not changed. They want the full, unedited record of what happened that evening, and they want it released to the public without delay. Bingman put the position simply: in a case of this magnitude, the family and the community are entitled to the complete truth.
