An incident involving a suspect discharging a firearm forced the closure Grand River Avenue in Genoa Township Monday evening.
Deputies from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the area of E. Grand River Avenue and Long Point Drive at approximately 5:45 p.m. for the report of a subject who discharged a firearm into the ground in the backyard of a residence.
Deputies responded to the scene along with Troopers with the Michigan State Police and Officers from the City of Brighton Police Department. Deputies on scene attempted to contact the 29-year-old Howell resident who was reported as the individual who had discharged the firearm. Deputies used the public address speaker on a patrol car for over an hour to try to contact the individual and have him exit the residence but no contact was made.
While this was occurring Deputies were able to contact the suspect’s grandmother who had been on scene when the firearm was discharged. She advised that the suspect was the only person in the residence at this time.
Rather than force an altercation between the armed subject and deputies the decision was made to submit charges to the prosecuting attorney’s office.
However, deputies were later sent back to the original address when Livingston County Central Dispatch received a call from the suspect’s cellphone stating that he had “slit his throat.” Deputies arrived along with Troopers from the Michigan State Police. The residence was cleared, and the suspect was determined to be barricaded in a small shed in the backyard.
Deputies were able to establish communication with the suspect and he surrendered a short time later. The suspect was transported by EMS to a local hospital for superficial self-inflicted cuts to his neck.
Deputies were assisted on scene by the Michigan State Police, the Brighton Police Department, and Livingston County EMS.
Grand River was closed for approximately 1 1/2 hours while the initial incident was occurring.
Photos courtesy of Edie Urbin of Howell
