HOLLAND, Mich. -- Emergency officials in Holland are investigating the fatal shooting of an Illinois man in the 200 block of West 40th Street on Monday afternoon.
Police have identified the victim as Derrick D'Andre Ruff-Shingles, 22, of Posen, Ill. Investigators said he was shot once in the chest before being taken to Holland Hospital where he later died.
The shooting was reported at 3:49 p.m. Monday at the Harbor Village apartments. Officers were originally called to the scene on a report of a domestic dispute.
An officer was already on scene after he happened to stop a motorist for a traffic violation at the entrance of the complex. That officer immediately responded but did not see the suspect flee.
Holland Police say the shooting happened in an apartment on the second floor of the B building, and the suspect fled east on foot after the incident. The suspect is believed to be a black man in his 20s, about 5-foot-9 wearing a white T-shirt with black lettering and black pants.
Police say it appears the suspect and victim knew each other and there was no sign of forced entry into the apartment. Police could not confirm the nature of the relationship or a possible motive for the shooting.
After an intensive hours-long search, police were able to locate the handgun believed to belong to the suspect, but police say he should be considered dangerous and possibly still armed.
Police searched the apartment complex for the suspect for more than four hours with the belief there was still a likely chance he could be inside. Officers were searching each unit a resident would allow them to without a search warrant. Residents were not being allowed back into the complex.
"It was chaos honestly in my mind, I was just thinking we need to get our baby and we need to get out," said Scotty Hicks who lives in the building across the parking lot from where the shooting happened.
"To the guy's family I want to say I'm sorry for your loss, this is ridiculous and it's scary to think this happened right across the street from my apartment."
The apartment complex was cleared and residents were allowed back in at about 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Footage from security cameras outside the apartment complex are being reviewed for any possible sign of the suspect fleeing the area.
As of 9 p.m. the suspect is still at large as police actively work to follow up on leads.
Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident or knows the identity of the suspect is urged to contact police at 616-355-1150 or via email at policetips@cityholland.com.
