According to a traffic crash report from the OPD, Michael was traveling north on I-85 in a 2004 GMC Envoy and was attempting to move from the outside lane to the inside lane when he struck an 18-wheeler with the driver’s side mirror.

Billy said his son exited the vehicle and went to check on the driver of the 18-wheeler.

“He said he didn’t get that far,” Billy said. “…When (he was walking) to the truck, he said he heard something but couldn’t tell what it was. There was a lot of noise, but (he) could see the reflection of the lights off the truck - the police lights. Then he did what I told him to do. I told my boys if you see police lights (to) stop, put your hands up and turn around.”

Billy said Michael held his arms up, with only a wallet in one of his hands.

Then, according to what Michael told his father, “The next thing I know I was on the ground. … That’s when they shot me. I didn’t realize he shot me. I didn’t know what happened. It was so fast. They couldn’t have been there three or four seconds when I was shot.”