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Shooting spree results in two dead, one arrest and a shaken community

May 12, 2014
<p>Officers escort a suspect to a police vehicle May 12, 2014, outside of a home in the 1800 block of Coolidge between West Saginaw street and West Lake Lansing road. The suspect was alleged to be the same involved in the Frandor Rite Aid shooting. Danyelle Morrow/The State News</p>

Officers escort a suspect to a police vehicle May 12, 2014, outside of a home in the 1800 block of Coolidge between West Saginaw street and West Lake Lansing road. The suspect was alleged to be the same involved in the Frandor Rite Aid shooting. Danyelle Morrow/The State News

Photo by Danyelle Morrow | The State News

Two shootings ended in two deaths and one arrest in Lansing and East Lansing Monday.

The first homicide occurred at approximately 11:07 a.m. at 3106 Saginaw St. at Rite Aid in Lansing. Upon arrival, police located a male in his mid-30's, with multiple gunshot wounds. The man was treated at the scene and transported to Sparrow Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The deceased was an employee in the pharmacy.

A black male dressed in all black between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and around 30 years old entered the store and made contact with the employee when shots were fired.

The suspect fled the scene on foot headed eastbound, East Lansing police Public Information Officer Robert Merritt said.

A K-9 search of the area was unsuccessful because of weather conditions.

Six minutes later, police responded to a shooting at the 1800 block of Coolidge Rd. One person was pronounced dead. Over the course of the standoff, U.S Marshals, armored cars and multiple K-9 units from East Lansing, Lansing and MSU police arrived on the scene.

Police made contact with the suspect through a window and after a short time he gave up, East Lansing Captain Jeff Murphy said. Police broke glass in the front of the home to deploy a throw phone and after a three hour standoff, the suspect was taken into custody. He was walked out by police with his head covered.

Police say they are not yet sure if the incidents are related, but both homicides do have the same suspect.

"I want the public to know and understand that over the course of the last several hours we have been able to track down the accused subject," Lansing Chief of Police Michael Yankowski said. "With the East Lansing Police Department's assistance, he is in custody and we believe this person is responsible for both the shootings here today."

East Lansing resident Nadine Cohen is a next-door neighbor to the suspect and said the man who lived there had a habit of getting drunk and got in a shouting match with his girlfriend on Friday. Cohen said she heard the man yelling "Do you want to die? Do you want to get shot?" at his girlfriend around 9:30 p.m.

Police have not released details regarding either victim.

Then on Saturday, Cohen said the suspect knocked on her door and had a drunken, but peaceful, conversation with her husband.

Cohen said she did not know the suspects name, but said the couple lived there for two years and she often heard loud music coming from their house. Cohen said she is shocked the shooting happened, and doesn't understand why.

During the standoff, Glencairn Elementary and Pinecrest Elementary were on lockdown. Lansing's Fairview School and Pattengill Academy were also on lockdown during the incident.

"What we need to try and figure out now is why this happened, how this happened and putting those pieces together," Yankowski said. "How could it get to this level where we have multiple victims, multiple homicides, in two safe communities. It goes to show you that anywhere in the country at any point in time, these tragedies can happen."

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