A routine last Friday morning call in Kalamazoo County turned anything but routine when a sheriff's deputy was shot during a struggle with a theft suspect, who then allegedly swiped the deputy's marked cruiser and tore off on a countywide chase. The deputy is hospitalized in stable condition, and the suspect was arrested after crashing the stolen patrol vehicle and is receiving medical treatment, according to law enforcement officials.
What officials say
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched around 8:51 a.m. to a report of a theft from a vehicle in the 6300 block of East AB Avenue in Richland Township. During the encounter, a struggle broke out between the deputy and the suspect that ended with the deputy being shot, according to a department statement reported by WMUK. The wounded deputy was first taken to a Plainwell-area hospital, then transferred to a Kalamazoo hospital, where the deputy is listed in stable condition, the Grand Haven Tribune reports.
Chase and crash
After the shooting, investigators say the suspect jumped into the deputy’s patrol cruiser and took off, sparking a high-speed pursuit through “various areas of Kalamazoo County.” The chase ended when the cruiser crashed near the intersection of Business Loop I-94 and Lake Street, right outside Julianna’s Restaurant, according to local reporting summarized by Spectrum News. Witnesses at the restaurant described a chaotic scene with dozens of police vehicles converging after the crash, and the suspect was taken into custody and given medical treatment before being lodged, WILX reported.
Sheriff's account and next steps
Sheriff Richard Fuller told reporters that the gun used in the shooting was “the deputy’s firearm,” adding, “More than that, I can’t tell you.” He said no charges had been authorized as of Friday, though the sheriff’s office expects to seek multiple felony counts once the case lands on a prosecutor’s desk. The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office said it would have staff working through the weekend, according to FOX 17. Fuller described the episode as a stark reminder that even calls that sound routine on paper can turn dangerous in seconds for deputies on patrol.
Local context
Residents and officials quickly drew a connection to the department’s recent history, noting that Kalamazoo County lost Deputy Ryan Proxmire to a gunshot wound during a 2021 pursuit, according to memorial records at ODMP. Investigators from multiple agencies, including the Michigan State Police, are assisting as the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office continues to piece together what happened in the latest incident.
