Bodycam Shows Kalamazoo Township Michigan Police's Clash with Fleeing Suspect

By Jackie Smith

Source mlive.com

KALAMAZOO, MI – A Kalamazoo Township police officer is in stable condition and a domestic violence suspect critically injured after a shooting mid-day Thursday outside a school administration building sent both individuals to the hospital.

Kalamazoo Township Police Chief Bryan Ergang said officers were responding to a domestic violence and felony assault call at around 11 a.m. Thursday, March 27, on the area’s west side, where a 23-year-old Portage man allegedly pointed a firearm at his girlfriend.

The suspect fled, he said, before being tracked to the 1200 block of Howard Street behind a Kalamazoo Public Schools administration building.

“After giving that suspect several verbal commands to stop, (the) suspect tried to flee on foot,” Ergang said during a press conference late Thursday afternoon. “As the officers continued to give chase, the suspect turned, fired a weapon, striking a Kalamazoo Township police officer in the top of his left leg near his pelvis.”

An officer from Western Michigan University, who trailed the township official, returned fire, Ergang said. Both the township officer and suspect were soon after treated at the scene before being taken to a local hospital.

Authorities did not say how many times the WMU officer fired on the suspect, though both officers were placed on leave while the Michigan State Police investigate the officer-involved shooting.

Because it was an ongoing investigation, Ergang said there were some details they could not disclose.

The 23-year-old suspect remained in critical condition later Thursday, he said.

Stills from body camera footage showed the police officers in pursuit of the suspect as he drew his firearm, aiming back toward police.

“As you can see, our officer has not even had an opportunity to defend himself as his weapon is still in his holster,” Ergang said.

The chief said the suspect was not known to his agency but has a history of criminal activity and had been out on parole since April 2024.

Ergang believed Kalamazoo Public Schools went on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, but he said at no point did the suspect enter the school administration building, endangering district officials, and that no students were nearby.

In addition to WMU, officers from the city of Kalamazoo’s public safety department also responded to the incident. Ergang credited partnering agencies with getting the township’s officer to safety and rendering aid to both him and the suspect.

Authorities did not identify the township officer who was injured.

“This is somebody that we know, somebody that works with us every day. A really, really good friend and a really good person,” Ergang said. “It reminds us the frailty of what we do. It also reminds us about the importance of what we do and helping keep the community safe. And so, while this has been a shock — people are understandably upset — we know that we’ll be back out in the community, doing what the community expects.”

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