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One of the three suspects has been charged in connection with the murder of Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Bradley Reckling. Reckling was killed on June 22 while investigating a stolen vehicle in Detroit.

Karim Blake Moore, 18, of Clinton Township, was arraigned Wednesday in 36th District Court on three counts of lying to a police officer during the investigation of a violent crime and one count of resisting arrest, local news station Fox 2 Detroit reported.

The context

Deputy Reckling, a nine-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and a member of the Sheriff’s Office’s Stolen Vehicle Unit, was pursuing a stolen 2022 Chevrolet Equinox from Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights on Saturday night, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.

According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, the vehicle suddenly stopped at the corner of Schoenherr and Park Grove streets in east Detroit, and the occupants got out and began shooting. The Detroit News reported. Deputy Reckling was hit in the head and chest and died of his injuries. A post on the OCSO Facebook page described it as an ambush.

Reckling “was a friend and trusted partner to countless other members of our agency,” the Facebook post says.

Newsweek has asked the OCSO for further comment.

What we know

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Penney said during Moore’s arraignment that the suspects fled the scene on foot after the shooting, Detroit-based news station WDIV Local 4 reported. Moore, who was in the stolen vehicle, did not fire the shots but admitted to investigators that he “got out of the vehicle after shots were fired.” A sniffer dog later found the suspects on the porch of an unidentified residence, where two guns and a pair of gloves were found, WDIV reported.

WDIV reported that Matthew Penney told the judge that Moore would be charged a large cash bail.

“This man is a flight risk. He is in the middle of something very deep and very, very serious,” Penney said.

“By his own account, he decided to run from the vehicle after seeing the police lights. He ran with two others who were apparently involved three blocks from the location where the officer sadly died.”

Newsweek has reached out to Penney for further comment.

Moore is one of three 18-year-olds being held in connection with Reckling’s murder. The other two suspects were previously released on bail on charges related to a carjacking and a chase in March. Their bail was revoked earlier this week, so they remain incarcerated at the Detroit Detention Center, according to a report. The Detroit News.

Views

Defense attorney Adam Clements praised prosecutors for not rushing to charge Moore with murder, pointing out that the current charges are serious but not violent. “You’re dealing with a nonviolent, nonviolent, albeit serious, charge here,” Clements said, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

A vigil was held at Romeo High School, where Reckling studied, and hundreds of people attended to honor his memory. A neighbor of Reckling’s, Tina Richie, told Fox 2 Detroit, “He’s just a wonderful, very kind man.” She recalled how Reckling helped her with repairs in her home while she was battling cancer.

What’s next

The funeral service for Reckling is planned for Friday, 10 a.m., at the Apostolic Church in Auburn Hills, according to The Detroit News.

Reckling leaves behind his wife Jacqueline, who is pregnant with their fourth child, and their three other daughters. To support the family, the Sheriff’s Office has established the charity “Mission Oakland” to accept donations to benefit the family.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information about the murder. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detroit Homicide Task Force or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

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