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2 Michigan State Police troopers shot in Branch County; suspect dead

Posted at 12:13 PM, Jan 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-25 05:48:50-05

UNION TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Michigan State Police now say that two MSP members were shot during the execution of a search warrant Wednesday morning in Branch County.

Michigan State Police Director Col. Kristie Etue says that D/Sgt. Aaron Steensma, who is posted in Marshall, Michigan, is in serious, but stable condition at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.  He was shot in the chest.  She says the Steensma is doing remarkably well for the seriousness of his injury.

Trooper Daniel Thayer, also of the Marshall Post, was also hit in the chest and hand.  The round that hit Thayer in his chest was stopped by his ballistic vest.  She says that both officers were wearing vests when they approached the home.

Police say they were executing a search warrant related to a cold case investigation at a home in Union Township at about 11:15 a.m. After they announced their presence and before they entered, the suspect fired a long gun at the two.

The suspect, who has not been named, has died. It is unclear how the suspect died.

Police tell FOX 17 that the cold case they were investigating was that of the murder of Duane Finney, 62, in Coldwater on May 12, 2009.  Finney was found in his car with a gunshot wound to his head.