WEXFORD COUNTY — Michigan State Police said it happened last night as they were called for backup for a traffic stop.
The Michigan State Police motor carrier officer was a backup officer for a Wexford County Sheriff’s deputy who was making a traffic stop on a subject believed to be armed and previously involved in an assault with a firearm earlier in that evening
Lt. Michelle Robinson from Michigan State Police said they were helping with a traffic stop Thursday night near South Road and East 50 Road in Clam Lake Township
The Wexford County Sheriff’s office denied our request for an interview but says they were called to a felonious assault in Clam Lake Township around 7:30 p.m.
While on the call, deputies encountered the suspect’s vehicle and stopped him.
“During that traffic stop, the subject fled the scene, and the deputy and motor carrier officer pursued that vehicle. During that pursuit, the suspect began firing from his vehicle,” said Robinson.
Robinson said the suspect, a 27-year-old Marion man, led officers on a police chase for about seven miles before losing control, on M115 near 20 Mile Rd., crashing into an embankment and ran away.
That’s when the situation escalated. The motor carrier officer and additional MSP troopers made contact with a subject, giving him verbal commands to drop a firearm. It’s believed that the subject pointed the firearm at the troopers,” Robinson said.
Robinson said that’s when police shot the man.
“It was at that point that he was shot by the troopers. They immediately rendered aid and the subject was transported to the hospital, where he remains and no law enforcement officers were injured,” Robinson said.
The man is in critical condition at the hospital. No other law enforcement personnel were injured. Robinson said the man has not been charged with anything yet.
“It’s really early still in the investigation. You know, we’re not even 24 hours into the investigation. So there’s still a lot of information that’s coming in, a lot of things that the detectives have to follow up on,” said Robinson.
Robinson said the shooting incident will be investigated by the Michigan State Police special investigation section.
She said the information they have is preliminary and may change as additional details emerge.