GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Friday evening, a man who appeared to be holding a gun was shot and killed by officers outside Trinity Health in Grand Rapids, killing a 38-year-old man, police said. The Grand Rapids Police Department responded to calls of a man waving a “gun-shaped object” in the air.

Grand Rapids Police Department Chief Eric Winstrom held a media briefing Saturday afternoon detailing the shooting, stating that he believed there was sufficient circumstantial evidence to confirm the shooting was suicide by cop.

At approximately 10:45 p.m., dispatch received multiple 911 calls about a person with a gun near Trinity Health in the area of ​​Maple Street SE and Jefferson Avenue SE.

Chief Winstrom said the first call came from an ambulance leaving the hospital. Another 911 call came in shortly after, saying: “They came in there yelling and saying ‘one guy’s got a gun, some guy’s got a gun’.”

The shooting occurred after a police officer repeatedly told the man to drop the gun, as seen in footage released by GRPD.

Chief Winstrom said: “What initially led to this was an ambulance leaving Trinity Hospital; called his dispatches; Their dispatch called our dispatch and said, ‘Hey, there’s a guy with a gun right outside the hospital. Send the police.”

When the officer shot the man, Chief Winstrom said about ten officers were on the scene, but only three shot at the man. None of the police officers who arrived at the scene were physically injured.

“It is critical for us to make sure they are emotionally and mentally ready to return to the streets to make sure they have the services they need,” Chief Winstrom said.

Now Michigan State Police is conducting its own independent investigation.

“I am very grateful that we still have this relationship with the Michigan State Police,” Chief Winstrom said.

The 38-year-old man has not yet been identified, but according to Chief Winstrom, he collapsed to the ground with his fist clenched around a “gun-shaped object.”

“On a viewing in the area, one of my officers encountered someone who stated that this gentleman had communicated to them that he intended to participate in what is commonly referred to as suicide by cop,” Chief Winstrom said.

Chief Winstrom said officers contacted the man several times last month to provide mental health services.

Winstrom added that from what he saw, the “gun-shaped object” did not appear to be a working firearm.

“I mean, he didn’t intend to hurt anyone,” Chief Winstrom said. “He did not intend to harm a police officer, but this was his way of ending his own life.”

Michigan State Police will conduct the investigation into the use of deadly force by Grand Rapids Police Officers and the investigation will be reviewed by the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office.

Anyone with more information about this officer who was shot can contact Silent Observer.

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