ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Mich. — The suspect in a St. Joseph County double homicide is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Branch County on Sunday. He was 30-year-old David Keith Algarin Jr.
Late Saturday night, the Sturgis Department of Public Safety and the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office (SJCSO) responded to a report of a shooting on South Centerville Road near South Street in Sturgis. Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered 38-year-old Stacy Ramsey, who was transported to the hospital but didn't survive.
The investigation revealed Algarin as a suspect. Sheriff's deputies later checked for Algarin at a residence at Sweet Lake Mobile Home Community, where they located another shooting victim, 61-year-old Jerry Longacre, who was dead.
A motive is not yet known.
In a statement, the Sweet Lake Mobile Home Community manager said:
"This is a tragic situation for all involved. Our community is a small, quiet neighborly community. The deceased tenant was quiet, kept to himself, didn't have much company to ever expect something like this would happen. We are so glad that know nobody else was hurt. We send our condolences to all the families involved."
On Sunday, officers from the Sturgis Department of Public Safety located Algarin driving through the City of Sturgis at about 11:10 a.m. Officers, as well as St. Joseph County Deputies, attempted to stop Algarin, who then fled.
We're told a pit maneuver was utilized on the suspect, as the chase would otherwise have gotten dangerously close to the annual Magic Festival in Colon.
The pursuit ended in an officer-involved shooting in Branch County, which resulted in Algarin's death.
"While this situation was unfortunate, I am very proud of the way law enforcement our dispatch center and everybody handled this situation," said St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman.
SJCSO held a press conference on the investigation Monday afternoon:
Watch video of the pursuit below:
Authorities extend their condolences to the families impacted.
