IMLAY CITY (WWJ) A man believed to be under the influence was arrested for firing multiple rounds from a shotgun in an Imlay City neighborhood.
In a press release, Imlay City Police said they were informed of a man firing several rounds from a shotgun in the backyard of his home on Saturday, December 7th, around 10:29 a.m. on Bancroft in the area of Van Dyke and Old M-21.
The gunfire struck the neighbor’s home and damaged surrounding property, according to police.
Police said an officer arrived “within minutes” of the first 911 calls. The officer confronted the armed suspect from a safe position and used “great restraint” as they tried to deescalate the situation with verbal commands and officer safety initiatives.
The suspect, “possibly under the influence of at least alcohol”, ignored the officer. He did not attempt to communicate with the officer and fired three more rounds, police said
“Still the officer chose to use restraint in deescalating the situation through verbal commands and avoiding deadly force,” Police Chief Brett Selby wrote in the release.
According to police, the suspect’s gun jammed. He dropped his gun as the officer approached him and took him into custody.
A Lapeer County Sheriff’s deputy assisted the officer. The suspect kicked out the deputy’s rear view window. An Imlay City patrol car was also damaged on its rear door—when the officer placed the suspect inside of it, police said.
The suspect was arrested for several charges including: possession of a firearm while intoxicated, a 93-day misdemeanor, Reckless discharge of a firearm- with damage to property, a 90-day misdemeanor, and two felony counts of Destruction of Government property.
The Imlay City man will likely undergo a mental health evaluation. He was housed at the Lapeer County Jail.
The suspect and the officer were not injured.
According to police, there is no “further danger to the public at large”.
“The officer should be commended for his actions today in an incident that could have turned tragic for multiple families and residents and this incident ended with the best-case scenario,” Chief Selby said. “ If you or anyone in your immediate family is experiencing substance abuse issues and there is a firearm in the home, it is extremely important that we all do our part to be responsible with firearms.”