Barricaded man shot woman multiple times, self, in St. Clair Shores 24-hour standoff
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (FOX 2) - The man who held police at bay for over 24 hours after shooting two people in a crowd who were lighting off sparklers on the Fourth of July shot a woman inside the home multiple times, killing her, before killing himself.
St. Clair Shores Police have identified the shooter as Tom Ihlendfeldt, 58, who killed himself to end the standoff. Also dead inside the home was 60-year-old Carol Baur. Police said preliminary information indicates Baur had been shot multiple times.
According to police, Ihlendfeldt shot at a crowd on Independence Day outside his home on St. Margaret Street near 13 Mile and Masonic. Neighbors said he was upset because they had been lighting sparklers and had threatened to shoot.
That was around 10 p.m. Thursday. More than 24 hours later, Ihlendfeldt was still inside the home, keeping police away and hanging up when they called him.
Police rammed the home but he refused to come out. A Michigan State Police robot was eventually brought in to enter the home. A camera equipped on the robot showed Baur's body. The robot also found Ihlendfeldt, who police said had taken up on 'offensive position' in the basement.
As the robot tried to identify his exact location, Ihlendfeldt shot the robot multiple times, disarming the machine. Police said Ihlendfeldt also fired multiple rounds towards police with a high-powered rifle, though no officers were hit.
The standoff left neighbors at a standstill. Many were forced from or stuck inside their homes as police expanded the perimeter of the scene over and over again.
Police and neighbors said this all started with people celebrating the holiday.
"Kids had sparklers, it was not about fireworks, there was no noise," Channita Jackson said. "He (opened fire) directly aiming at the kids, aiming in the crowd. He chased my brother and fiancé down the street still shooting."