ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A domestic situation Thursday morning put nearly a half-dozen kids in danger while leaving a man and woman with grievous injuries.
Ottawa County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to 96th Avenue near Winans Street in Robinson Township at 8:47 a.m. for a report of man who was shooting at a woman and several children. The 911 caller told dispatchers the man had come out of a home on the property armed with a handgun.
When deputies arrived they found a 34-year-old woman, who'd been shot at least two times, and a 35-year-old man stabbed in the neck.
Sparks said this dispute likely started Wednesday night.
Captain Jake Sparks, with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, said, “The argument continued this morning, at which point the male subject armed himself with a handgun and ultimately shot at the female, striking her a couple times, as well as one of the children was shot at as well.”
The child shot at is 16 years old, one of five children living in the home. We're told none of the children are injured. In fact, the 16-year-old stepped in to save his mother's live, according to Capt. Sparks.
“In an effort to protect the female, (he) armed himself with a knife, and was able to intervene and save the mother who was being shot at," he said.
After stabbing the father in the neck, the 16-year-old took off to a neighbor's residence to call 911 and hide out until deputies arrived.
Sparks said said the two, who's domestic relationship is unclear at this time, were both taken into custody before being sent to the hospital for treatment. Describing their injuries as "grievous," Captain Sparks did not say if the wounds could be life-threatening. Both were undergoing surgeries by Thursday afternoon, after which the male will be lodged in the Ottawa County Jail.
“From the information that we have now, it appears that he was the instigator and the aggressor, and was attempting to kill or do great bodily harm to the mother," Sparks said.
Investigators conducted initial interviews with the kids before turning them over to the care of relatives.
"All of our detectives are forensically trained to forensic interviewing children," Sparks told FOX 17. "It's a special way of talking to them. Without leading questions and that type of thing, we also have a very close relationship with the Children's Advocacy Center, which can perform forensic interviews there is more set up for child interviews, so that helps they have a bunch of other resources as well for the follow up mental health counseling. Our crisis intervention deputy is involved in works closely with mental health, community mental health, which is great as well. And then our victim services unit is here. I'm, which is amazing group of people that help so that the detectives can do detective work and they handle kids and family and some of the other services for them as well."
It's not clear what relationship the children might have with the adult couple. Sparks did clarify all seven (2 adults, 5 children) live inside the home together.
There is no threat to the public and deputies are not searching for any additional suspects.
An update, per Capt. Jake Sparks:
— Max Goldwasser FOX 17 (@MaxGoldwasser) May 23, 2024
- Domestic dispute
- Calls came in around 8:47am
- Male (stabbed in upper torso) and female (suffering gunshot wounds), both in mid-30’s, getting treated at hospital
- 5-6 children at residence, none injured@FOX17
RELATED: Helping children in the wake of domestic violence
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
