DETROIT – A man armed with a high-powered rifle was killed during a shootout with police after he murdered a woman over a child custody issue and fired shots into a police station, according to authorities.
Officials said a 28-year-old woman was shot and killed by the 28-year-old man around 11:15 p.m. Monday in the area of Grand River and Warren avenues on Detroit’s west side.
ORIGINAL STORY: Detroit police shoot, kill murder suspect after he fires shots at 5th Precinct
The two were in a dispute about a child custody issue, police said.
Detroit police Chief James Craig said the man involved in the shooting approached the Fifth Precinct in a large, black SUV and got out with a “high-powered” rifle. He fired about four shots into the police station, Craig said.
“He pulls up to the front of the police station, he gets out with a high-powered weapon, leans over the hood and begins to fire several shots into the police station,” Craig said.
Eric Decker, the commander of major crimes for DPD, said bullets penetrated the first layer of bulletproof glass at the station, but were stopped by the second layer.
The lieutenant at the desk put out a call for help, and as units responded, the armed man left the front area of the police station, according to authorities.
When he came across one of the responding police vehicles, the man fired at it, hitting it at least once in the windshield, officials said. Glass from the windshield hit the officer driving the vehicle in the forehead, according to police.
Around 5:15 a.m., the man was sitting inside a vehicle in the parking lot of a closed business, Craig said. Police knew he was armed and dangerous, and made many failed attempts to contact him, officials said.
“They declared a barricaded suspect, and our special response team responded out,” Craig said.
Police said after the shooting involving the woman, the man sent a text message to family members saying he told them he was going to kill the 28-year-old woman if his child was taken. Then, he referenced the police and an unspecified judge, according to authorities.
Members of the special reaction team arrived and took armored vehicles to move in close and prevent the man from moving. Police said they could see the man holding an AR-15 against his chest.
“As they were moving in to block him in, they could see that he was holding an AR-15 against his chest,” Craig said. “As the officers said, ‘Let me see your hands,’ he shook his head negative, and there was an exchange of gunfire between this subject and several of the SRT officers.”
The man was fatally shot during the exchange of gunfire, according to Craig. No officers were shot.
Craig said while the man was sitting in the parking lot, he would activate turn signals and hit the brakes of the vehicle to try to lure in officers.
“If this suspect had left this location, there could have been additional carnage,” Craig said. “Bad situation, all around.”
The man had a history of domestic violence and a pending warrant out of Southfield, according to officials.
Detroit police are still investigating the case. This is the department’s 31st high-risk incident involving a barricaded person this year, Craig said.
You can watch Craig’s full comments below.