Police Officer Lloyd "Mike" Todd

Lloyd "Mike" Todd

Police Officer Mike Todd succumbed to complications of gunshot wounds sustained on December 5th, 1998, by gunfire at Nashville Street and Westphalia Street in Detroit at 11:10 pm.

Officer Todd and two other plainclothes officers were attempting to stop a van wanted in connection with an abduction earlier in the day. Once the van started to flee, a pursuit ensued, and Officer Shawn Bandy and another officer joined in the chase.

When the van slowed down, a suspect in the back opened fire on the cruisers, striking all three officers. Officer Todd, who was driving, was shot in the head. Shrapnel and glass from the windshield hit another officer. Officer Bandy, the passenger of the first marked cruiser, was struck in the head, neck, and chest by multiple rounds. Bullet fragments and glass hit Officer Bandy's partner.

All officers were transported to St. John Hospital, where Officer Bandy succumbed to his injuries the following day. Officer Todd remained in a coma for over two months and spent a year in a rehabilitative facility. He was paralyzed on the left side of his body, lost his right eye, and suffered partial brain damage. He required 24-hour care until succumbing to his injuries 23 years later.

Four suspects were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The fifth suspect was sentenced to 5 to 15 years and was murdered in 2017 after being paroled.

Officer Todd was a United States Coast Guard veteran and had served with the Detroit Police Department for five years. He is survived by his son, sisters, and brothers.