Aura Rosser
November 9, 2014· Unknown, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- People
- Aura Rosser
- Outcome
- unknown
In the early morning hours of November 10, 2014, Aura Rosser, a 40-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed by Ann Arbor Police Officer David Ried inside her home at 2083 Winewood in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Officers had responded to a 911 call from Rosser's 54-year-old boyfriend, Victor Stephens, reporting a domestic disturbance. The incident occurred within five to ten seconds of officers entering the home. According to officers Mark Raab and David Ried, both 15-year veterans of the Ann Arbor Police Department, Rosser approached them with a knife when they entered the residence. She was reportedly positioned 6-10 feet from the officers. Officer Raab discharged his Taser while Officer Ried fired his handgun. The bullet struck Rosser in the chest, knocking her down in the kitchen and killing her at the scene. Rosser had been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the incident. According to records, she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, cocaine dependence, non-dependent alcohol abuse, and cannabis dependence. Toxicology analysis revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.170 grams/100 mL along with cocaine and THC in her system. The Michigan State Police conducted the investigation, and on January 30, 2015, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie announced that the killing was justified, concluding that Officer Ried "acted in lawful self-defense." The ACLU of Michigan issued a report in March 2015 expressing concerns about the prosecutor's analysis and how officers responded, recommending independent prosecutor review and new police training on use-of-force and mental illness response protocols. Officer Ried was later promoted to sergeant. Rosser's death sparked protests tied to the Black Lives Matter movement and led to the formation of the Ann Arbor Alliance for Black Lives in her name. Community members spent years advocating for police accountability, ultimately resulting in the city establishing the Independent Community Police Oversight Commission (ICPOC) in 2019.