A tense domestic dispute in Westland spiraled into a dangerous standoff last Saturday when a man reportedly fired a gun at his wife before hunkering down inside his home for eight hours. The alleged shooter, identified as Kevin Merritt Butler, a 61-year-old Westland resident, now faces multiple criminal charges stemming from the incident.
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, police rushed to the 36000 block of Cherry Hill around 3:35 p.m. after reports of a shooting. By the time they arrived, the victim had fled, but Butler remained barricaded inside the home, prompting the Western Wayne Tactical Response Unit to respond to the scene. The long standoff concluded with Butler's arrest.
Butler's list of charges includes Discharge of a Firearm in or at a Building, Felonious Assault, Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer, Domestic Violence, and two counts of Felony Firearm. Despite the discharge of a firearm, Butler's wife escaped the harrowing ordeal without physical injuries.
During an arraignment in 18th District Court, Butler was slapped with a $300,000/10% bond and ordered to wear a GPS tether. His next court appearances are the Probable Cause Conference on March 14 at 8:30 a.m., and the Preliminary Examination on March 21 at 8:30 a.m., both before Judge Sandra Cicirelli. As the judicial process unfolds, Butler remains presumed innocent until potentially proven guilty.
