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Posted on Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 1:21 p.m.

Police catch 4 suspects after shots were fired at house and deputy

By John Counts

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After an hours-long hunt Wednesday, police captured the last of four suspects accused of shooting at a house in Ypsilanti Township and firing at an officer during a chase.

Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputies and police from other agencies scoured the West Willow neighborhood and nearby areas for five or six hours after receiving a report of shots fired on Greenlawn Avenue about 6 a.m. Wednesday. No one was reported injured in the shooting.

Officers quickly caught two suspects after they crashed a car into another vehicle on Greenlawn and fled on foot a few blocks from the shooting incident. Two others initially eluded police, however, and were eventually caught in the area, said Washtenaw County Police Services Commander Dieter Heren.

One shot was fired at police during the chase.

"A deputy was shot at, but not hit," Heren said.

Police did not return fire because they were concerned about the safety of others in the area, Heren added.

A gun recovered on Tyler Street in the West Willow neighborhood is believed to be the gun used in the shooting.

The incident began when deputies were called to Greenlawn Avenue south of Ecorse Road in Ypsilanti Township shortly after 6 a.m. to investigate a report of shots fired at a residence on the street, said sheriff's office spokesman Derrick Jackson.

Police were still investigating what motivated the shots Wednesday afternoon. A window of an SUV parked in the driveway appeared to be shattered. Police had it covered. Investigators marked several spots in the middle of the street where shell casings fell.

The suspects attempted to flee in a Chevy Impala, but only made it about three houses away from the home before the vehicle rammed into a parked car. Police say the suspects then fled down the street, across the freeway and into the West Willow neighborhood on foot.

Police initially said they captured two suspects immediately and were looking for a third youth in his early teens. Several people were taken out of a residence on Woodlawn Avenue a block away and questioned during the investigation, police confirmed. It did not appear any of them were taken into custody.

The sheriff's office K-9 unit was at the scene tracking in the area all morning and a helicopter from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office was brought in for the search. Officers from Michigan State Police, Pittsfield Township, Van Buren Township and Ypsilanti all assisted in the search efforts.

Michael Williams said he lives on Tyler Road in West Willow and was woken up by police in his yard and in the adjacent vacant lot.

"I woke up at about 6 a.m. and my house was surrounded," he said. "They were combing that field like they were looking for a weapon."

Heren said investigators eventually identified a fourth suspect and said that as of 1 p.m. all of them had been taken into custody. He could not elaborate on how or where the two were detained, but said it was without incident.

Police did not release the exact ages or hometowns of the suspects. Heren said the matter is still under investigation.


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Comments

Milton Shift

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 4:04 p.m.

"Police did not return fire because they were concerned about the safety of others in the area, Heren added. " I take off my hat.

Honest Abe

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:54 a.m.

Good Police work.

Life in Ypsi

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:39 a.m.

It always breaks my heart to see kids that I have watched grow since kindergarten throw their lives away.

Chase Ingersoll

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 1:25 a.m.

This is just so wrong that there are people in our community that would shoot at an occupied house and then shoot at an officer. Why are they here in the first place? Who brought them here? Who helped them stay here?

Jaime Magiera

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 12:50 p.m.

http://tinyurl.com/aryxkpo

martini man

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 12:35 a.m.

When it comes to defending your life or the lives of your family ..YOU DO IT ... no matter what the libwimps say. Any man who would not give his life to protect his family isn't worth anything. No amount of gun control should prevent this.

Jaime Magiera

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 6:51 a.m.

The resident did not shoot at the people on his property. In fact, the police did not shoot at the people while they were in pursuit for fear of hitting bystanders. This entire incident seems to counter indicate you are suggesting.

ArthGuinness

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 3:27 a.m.

Strawman.

Dr. Fate

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 12:07 a.m.

Holy crap, I didn't know criminals were ever up at six in the morning.

genetracy

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 4:51 a.m.

That's right. White collar guys shoot up homes in West Willow all of the time.

whatsupwithMI

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:12 a.m.

kinda white-collar of them, right?

genetracy

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 1:51 a.m.

When they are, it becuase they have been up all night.

Linda Peck

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:23 p.m.

John of Saline says it, let's see the next step in the matter, the punishment.

Jay Thomas

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:43 a.m.

They seem more interested in keeping guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens than they do in putting people away for long periods of time when they use a gun in the commission of a crime.

Linda Peck

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:22 p.m.

Great work, WCSD!

Steven Taylor

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:07 p.m.

And to think, I was told in no uncertain terms by the mayor and city council last night, that I really don't have a right to self defense. It's all unicorns and roses on the east side apparently. Stay safe out there people, and for the love of Cthulhu stay armed so you can fight back!

Brad

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.

And a civilian having a gun in this situation would have accomplished what exactly?

Ann English

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:56 p.m.

White Impala crashes into blue parked car.

TryingToBeObjective

Sat, Aug 24, 2013 : 2:58 a.m.

There is no point, just jibberish, as usual.

WalkingJoe

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:33 p.m.

And the point is...?

a2citizen

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:29 p.m.

If the Impala were black would you have mentioned its color?

Bear

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:49 p.m.

these guys are clowns.

a2citizen

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 11:25 p.m.

I see no reason to insult clowns.

Jim Clarkson

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:23 p.m.

Interesting, because I just saw a Washtenaw county Sheriff's Facebook update posted an hour ago that states that they apprehended 3 suspects. So is it 3 or 4?

John Counts

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:50 p.m.

I saw that too, Jim Clarkston, but Commander Heren told me that a fourth person had also been detained when I spoke to him at the scene. Now there is a difference between being arrested and being interviewed by police. The fourth person may or may not be facing charges. I think if we give investigators the chance to do their jobs, we the public will be informed of the details soon enough.

Bear

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:49 p.m.

hey, Jim, it's four.

Hunterjim

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 9:30 p.m.

Good job! Lock em up!

Roncerz

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 8:32 p.m.

Great work, law enforcement! Hope these hoodlums are brought to justice. Thank goodness no one was hurt. That is often times not the case, as we all know. Look at that Australian baseball player recently murdered by teens in Oklahoma! The teens thought it was all just "a joke". Australian leaders now calling for their citizens to think twice about traveling to the USA.

Jaime Magiera

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 6:40 a.m.

(psssstt... Roncerz and Jay don't realize that Australia banned handguns in the civilian population after the Port Arthur Massacre. The Australian politician calling for the boycott of United States is Tim Fisher, one of the politians who spearheaded the gun control legislation)

Jay Thomas

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:41 a.m.

The White House spokesliar said he was unaware of the story and had never heard anything about it (despite the story first having gone national while still operating under a news blackout in Oklahoma). The Prime Minister of Australia talked about it and other politicians in Australia were even calling for a boycott of America. Contrast this to either the Trayvon Martin or Professor Henry Louis Gates case (where Obama inserted himself because the police "were acting stupidly"). No foreign governments involved there.

Bear

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 10:50 p.m.

heck, we as citizens sometimes have to think twice before travellng in the USA.

ArthGuinness

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 7:48 p.m.

Good job to the police. Imagine if every shooting in Detroit was met with this kind of a response.

Dutchy734

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 1:20 p.m.

Imagine if every shooting in Ypsi Twp was met with this kind of a response...

Jay Thomas

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:34 a.m.

The Detroit city clowncil would rather spend the money... on themselves.

Nicholas Urfe

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 6:53 p.m.

Sweet sweet justice, lay thy leather gloved hands on thee, fleeing suspect.

Nicholas Urfe

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.

How dare the police catch suspects in a shooting!

Jay Thomas

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 2:33 a.m.

Two people voted to have the suspects get away. The same folks who think SYG is racist, undoubtedly.

eyeonthenews

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 6:43 p.m.

Great work capturing these people but as most, if not all, are juveniles they'll no doubt be back on the street soon. Pretty scary.

WalkingJoe

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.

Way to go officers. Glad the deputies kept their cool while alleged gunmen didn't. I put alleged because I don't want the PC crowd to get upset.

jns131

Thu, Aug 22, 2013 : 12:35 a.m.

I have met these wonderful deputies. Not these personally but several over the year and let me tell you. They are cool. They have a wonderful sense of humor but yet when it comes to getting the job done? They do. Wish I worked for them. Great people.

John of Saline

Wed, Aug 21, 2013 : 5:38 p.m.

Good that they're all caught. Now let's see how long our courts hold them.

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