Officer shoots, misses accused carjacker
State Police taking over probe into incident
A Sterling Heights police officer shot at an oncoming stolen vehicle that reportedly had been involved the carjacking of an elderly woman earlier in the afternoon, authorities said Saturday night.
No one was hit when the police shot at the carjacked vehicle as the suspect drove at the officers in his escape. He was arrested after he crashed a few miles away, police said.
The officer-involved shooting took place about 7 p.m. at a Super 8 Motel when police spotted the stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee during a search of area motels.
“Upon approaching the vehicle, and attempting to take the suspect into custody the suspect attempted to flee the scene,” Lt. Mario Bastianelli said in a news release.
Michigan State Police have taken over the investigation, a standard measure when a law enforcement agency is involved in a shooting.
According to Sterling Heights police, officers were called about 3 p.m. Saturday to the Walmart parking lot on Mound Road after receiving calls about a carjacking.
Police learned an 80-year-old was attacked and thrown out of her Jeep Grand Cherokee before the attacker fled in the victim’s SUV.
“The elderly female victim had minor injuries,” Bastianelli said, adding she had been cleared by medical personnel at the carjacking scene.
Officers were unable to locate the vehicle but kept looking at area motel parking lots for the carjacked vehicle.
They spotted the stolen Jeep in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel on Van Dyke north of 13 Mile Road. That’s when the shooting encounter took place.
Investigators said the suspect drove off but was involved in a crash with another car on Van Dyke and 15 Mile Road. Police were able to take him into custody.
The suspected carjacker was previously arrested by the Sterling Heights Police Department in September for unlawful driving away of an automobile, authorities reported. He is currently on probation for that offense.
Sterling Heights police also said, per their department protocol regarding officer involved shootings, the Michigan State Police were asked to investigate the incident
Any further information about the incident will come from the MSP.
Police learned an 80-year-old was attacked and thrown out of her Jeep Grand Cherokee before the attacker fled in the victim’s SUV.