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Standoff probed

Capt. John Halprin, commander, Eighth District, Michigan State Police

GWINN — The armed man who was in a standoff with police in the K.I. Sawyer area for hours Sunday night remains in critical condition as of late Monday after being shot by police, and investigations regarding the incident are still ongoing, authorities said this morning.

The man was shot by a Michigan State Police trooper at the scene after he came outside with a long gun and attempted to point it at police, according to a press release from the MSP. The man had also allegedly fired in the direction of authorities prior to the arrival of the MSP Emergency Support Team.

The suspect, a 68-year-old man, was transported to an area hospital and remains in critical condition as of Monday night, police said today.

The incident is being investigated by the Forsyth Township Police Department. Meanwhile, the MSP Seventh District Investigative Response Team is examining the officer-involved shooting, and the trooper involved has been placed on administrative leave in accordance with department policy, authorities said.

“The investigation is going along accordingly and we brought in our independent team to do the investigation,” MSP Eighth District Commander Capt. John Halpin said this morning. “We’re just investigating every avenue we have and every lead we have to make sure the investigation is done properly and is transparent.”

When each investigation is complete, results will be forwarded to the Marquette County Prosecutor’s Office for review, the press release states.

Many area residents reported on social media that they overheard radio dispatchers say during the incident that the man’s wounds were self-inflicted. However, MSP officials said they cannot comment on the matter at this time, as the investigation is ongoing.

The incident began around 4:10 p.m. Sunday when officers from the Forsyth Township Police Department and the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence along the 100 block of Crusader Street in K.I. Sawyer to check the well-being of a man inside the home.

However, as officers attempted to communicate with the man, he “brandished a gun and fired a shot through a window and in the direction of officers,” the press release states.

Following this, Forsyth Township police requested assistance from the MSP Emergency Support Team.

Although authorities “repeatedly gave the suspect verbal commands to put down the weapon, he refused and fired several additional rounds inside and outside of the home in the direction of police,” according to the MSP press release.

“While troopers attempted to communicate with him again, the suspect came outside with a long gun,” and a trooper fired and struck the suspect as he was attempting to point the weapon at police, officials said in the release. This occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, MSP officials said this morning.

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is cbrown@miningjournal.net.

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