KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. (WWJ) -- Michigan State Police are investigating a shooting in southwest Michigan over the weekend that left a Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Deputy dead.
Deputy Ryan Proxmire died after being shot during a high speed chase near Galesburg Saturday night. The suspect was killed after an exchange of gunfire with other sheriff's deputies.
Authorities have not released the name of the suspect and Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller during a press conference Monday characterized the suspect as a "career criminal."
"One of the things that you'll never hear from my lips is that person's name," Fuller said.
Fuller went on to say Proxmire "ran towards the danger so others didn't have to."
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office says it all unfolded Saturday night at a Shell gas station on 35th Street in Galesburg when deputies made contact with the suspect, who had been involved in a pursuit with another law enforcement agency in the area earlier that night.
While the circumstances surrounding the earlier chase are still unclear, the sheriff's office says when deputies tried to talk to the suspect, they pointed a handgun at the deputies and then jumped in a vehicle, fleeing the gas station.
During an ensuing high-speed chase, the suspect fired multiple rounds at the deputies from his car, eventually striking Proxmire, causing his vehicle to go off the road.
A passing motorist found Proxmire in his patrol vehicle on the side of the road and called 911. Proxmire was taken to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, according to the sheriff's office.
The suspect ultimately lost control of his vehicle and drove off the road into a field, where his vehicle became stuck and immobilized. When the suspect exited his vehicle, he fired more shots at the other deputies, who returned fire and killed the suspect at the scene.
Michigan State Police are now investigating the incident.
Details on a funeral service for Proxmire are expected to be released in the next few days. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she plans to lower all flags to half-mast on the day of Proxmire's internment, or another date chosen by his family.
"Our state is heartbroken with the loss of Deputy Ryan J. Proxmire. Every day, Deputy Proxmire put on his uniform to make a difference in his community and keep families safe," Whitmer said in a statement issued Monday. "This weekend, he made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty -- a debt that can never be repaid. We must honor his memory and life of public service through our words and our actions. There's no doubt that Deputy Proxmire was a staple in Kalamazoo County, and his passing leaves a tremendous hole in the hearts of so many people who had the chance to know him personally. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and fellow officers through this difficult time."
Community members held a vigil for Proxmire and his family outside the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office Sunday evening.
Rest In Peace, Dep. Ryan Proxmire. pic.twitter.com/f9dZMnjsE4
— David Horak (@DavidHorakTV) August 16, 2021
Sheriff Fuller said Monday Proxmire's family has "expressed their thankfulness for the kindness and the love and outpouring they have seen."
"They've experienced a lot in the last few days. And it's community that's getting them through this, as long as we as a community can remember that they need their space as well," Fuller said.
As for what led up to Saturday night's events, Fuller said "there are so many different things in today's world that can cause events that occurred that night, or anybody's criminal activity."
