Police smash glass door to release buck trapped in 103-year-old woman’s room

Deer Incident - Body Cam Footage

**INFORMATION RELEASE** **Deer Incident at Arbor North Living Facility** On November 4, 2024, at 7:25 p.m., officers from the Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety were dispatched to Arbor North Living, an assisted living facility for senior citizens located on Kingsbrooke Drive in Blackman Township. Facility employees reported a deer, specifically a buck, had entered one of the resident's rooms. Staff members were unable to enter the room and could not determine whether the elderly resident was injured, as she was out of sight. They did, however, report visible blood throughout the room, indicating the buck was thrashing around in an attempt to escape. Officers Luke Bradley and Ryan Martin arrived on the scene and initially attempted to gain entry through the hallway door. From that vantage, they observed the deer in the apartment’s living room near a set of glass patio doors. When the officers moved outside to the glass doors, they could see the deer but found the doors locked, preventing them from opening them to aid the resident. Due to the inability to confirm the resident’s welfare, officers made the decision to break the glass patio door. This allowed the deer to exit the apartment and flee. After the deer had left, officers entered the apartment and confirmed the resident, a 103-year-old female, had sustained injuries. She was conscious and alert and received medical attention on site before being transported to Henry Ford Jackson Emergency Room with non-life-threatening injuries. Further investigation revealed that the buck had entered the apartment by jumping through a closed glass window in the resident’s bedroom while she was in bed. The animal, in its attempt to escape, had caused additional damage and left blood throughout the apartment, likely from injuries sustained upon entering. A 1:29 clip from Public Safety Officer Ryan Martin's body-worn camera captures the deer inside the apartment as Officer Martin attempts to unlock the sliding glass door. When it became clear the door was locked, Officer Martin used his baton to break the glass, allowing the buck to escape. In the video, the deer is seen running from the apartment, across the porch, and into the darkness. Following the incident, officers rendered aid to the resident and subsequently attempted to locate the deer, but it is believed to have fled into nearby woods.

Posted by Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety on Friday, November 8, 2024