Detroit man killed by federal agent was armed with hammer, cops say -- but family disagrees

A federal agent shot and killed a black Detroit man while serving a warrant.

The Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team, which included an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, was attempting to serve the warrant Wednesday afternoon to armed robbery suspect Terrance Kellom.

Police said the ICE agent felt threatened and opened fire, killing the 19-year-old Kellom.

Detroit’s police chief, James Craig, said Kellom was armed with a hammer when he was killed – but Kellom’s father said he was unarmed.

Kellom was staying with his father when the DFAT team, which included U.S. Marshals and Detroit police officers, attempted to serve the warrant.

Kellom’s sister said their father initially told police his son was not there, but Teria Kellom said she asked to see the warrant – which officers agreed to show her after family members left the home.

Task force members then went inside to search for Kellom, who was wanted in the armed robbery of a pizza deliveryman, in addition to felony weapons and habitual offender charges.

"The last thing I heard was, 'Come out or I'll shoot,’" Teria Kellom said. "They shot him 10 times. They shot him -- and then they put the handcuffs on him."

The police chief said Kellom’s father was also wanted on a nonviolent felony fraud charge, but he was not arrested at the time.

"We decided not to arrest him because of the circumstances,” Craig said. “We can always pick him up later, (but) we decided to let him properly grieve for his son."

The ICE agent’s name was not released, but police said he was also black.

A protest is planned for Tuesday afternoon near the scene of the shooting, which remains under investigation.

Watch this video report posted online by WXYZ-TV: