The Miami County coroner has ruled the Dec. 29 death of a Troy man in a shootout with police was a suicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.

Coroner Dr. Steve Huffman said March 21 that evidence indicates Franklin Jones III, 30, "decided to end his own life by having the police shoot him."

Jones died in the early morning hours after shooting another Troy man in the buttocks in an ongoing dispute. He shot at police responding to reports in a residential area of gunshots and was fatally wounded when officers returned fire, according to the incident report by the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. Troy police Sgt. Jeff Kunkleman was shot in the leg during the gun battle.

A Miami County grand jury last month cleared three Troy police officers and a sheriff's deputy in the incident. In addition to Kunkleman, the officers were Jared Cole and Jesse Canan of Troy police and Will Roberts, a sheriff's deputy.

Prosecutor Tony Kendell said prior to his encounter with police, Jones showed up at an acquaintance’s door, armed with a handgun, and said he "was going out" that night.

The officers, Kendell said, "responded and reacted in accordance with their training."