LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The state announced Wednesday they will not charge an Ingham County deputy who shot and killed27-year-old Cameron Cothern on US-127 last year, finding that he acted in self-defense and the defense of others.
The incident occurred on April 6, 2025, in a stretch of northbound US-127 near Mason, and began when a 911 caller said a man, later identified as Cothern, was walking the wrong way down the highway at around 4:00 p.m.
The deputy arrived at around 4:17 p.m. and called for priority backup five minutes later, reporting that Cothern was walking down the highway and was armed with a knife. A Mason police officer was sent to the scene to assist. The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office reported he was “non-compliant.”
According to investigators, the two law enforcement officers spent around 13 minutes attempting to de-escalate the situation and convince Cothern to put the knife down. After encountering increased traffic, the Mason officer got out of her vehicle and later attempted to tase Cothern but missed.
After this, investigators say Cothern turned on the officer and jumped the guardrail, running toward the officer with two knives, though he dropped one of them after tripping. Cothern was within a few feet of the officer, where investigators say he was seen moving for the officer’s gun as she attempted to run away from him toward the deputy.
After the officer fell to the ground near the deputy, investigators say the deputy shot at Cothern three times. Law enforcement on scene “immediately” attempted to render first aid, but efforts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead on scene…