The parents of a 34-year-old man shot and killed by Washtenaw County Sheriff’s deputies Jan. 6, 2026, stood alongside their attorneys Wednesday, June 10, 2026, to announce a civil lawsuit and call for sweeping reform at the department they say killed their son without justification.
Flood Law will represent the family of John Andrew Jenuwine, a Navy veteran who lived in St. Clair County. Jenuwine was killed by deputies after he was involved in a police chase in Ypsilanti Township.
Read more: Man killed by Washtenaw County deputies identified as veteran 'loved by many'
Police responded in the early hours of Jan. 6, 2026, after two 911 callers reported a white moving or construction-style van driving erratically in Ypsilanti Township, as heard in the 911 dispatch recording. In the recording, the second caller said his wife was threatened by the driver with what he believed to be a handgun.
Soon after the 911 calls, deputies responded and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The van did not stop, and a vehicle pursuit began. After initiating a crash with the vehicle, deputies verbally instructed the occupant to show his hands, dash cam video footage shows. In the video, one deputy is heard saying, "He's got a gun."
Deputies surrounded the overturned vehicle and fired 27 shots, said attorney Todd Flood. Jenuwine, the only occupant of the van, was struck seven times in his arms and legs and bled out slowly, Flood said. The lawsuit claims that deputies did not render medical aid as he died. No gun was recovered from Jenuwine's vehicle.
“This is a case where a man was executed,” Flood said at a morning news conference on Zoom. “He was being pursued wrongfully. He did not match the description. He was shot and killed as an unarmed man."
Shots came from the top, bottom, back and front of the van, Flood said.
“The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department should be thankful none of their own deputies were killed,” Flood said. “Because they were shooting at each other from every direction.”
Kelly Jenuwine, John's mother, called for the department to be dismantled “from the top down,” and said her son’s death set a grim record: the most shots fired at an unarmed victim in Michigan history.
“Their incompetence cost our son his life and has devastated our family forever,” Kelly Jenuwine said.
The family was not notified of his death for 17 hours, the family reported. They said they were at their cottage in Tawas when the call came; not the night of the shooting, but the following evening.
The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court runs more than 160 pages. It names the deputies involved with the incident, including bystanders who plaintiffs say failed to intervene or provide medical aid.
Six defendants are currently listed as John and Jane Does due to identities not being confirmed. Flood said that will change.
“We will amend the complaint. Through the court system and subpoena power, those names will be confirmed,” Flood said.
Attorneys also noted that a parallel criminal investigation is being conducted by the Michigan Attorney General’s office and the Michigan State Police. Flood said the MSP has been cooperative in providing access to evidence.
Attorneys and the Jenuwine family are searching for meaningful change in training, testing and in how officers are evaluated for fitness before shifts.
Flood raised questions about the deputies' state of mind that night. He called for mandatory, verified training and rigorous mental fitness protocols.
Larry Jenuwine, John’s father, says he grew up fully supportive of law enforcement and tries to remain so, saying the footage shook him.
“I can’t imagine any law enforcement officer has gone through training that said it is OK to just riddle a vehicle laying on its side with random shots,” Larry Jenuwine said.
For the Jenwine family, the lawsuit is not primarily about money.
“I will do anything in my power to prevent any other family from going through this, “ Larry Jenuwine said.
