Oakland County deputies take out suspect who shot and killed father-in-law during home invasion

Oakland County deputies shoot suspect fatally after he killed his father-in-law

The shooter, a 42-year-old from Dearborn Heights, with newly-bought tactical gloves, a crowbar and pistol, broke into the back window of his mother and father in law’s condo in Highland Township Wednesday morning.

HIGHLAND Twp, Mich. (FOX 2) - Describing a suspect as having "murderous intent", Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said a man who was separated from his wife broke into her parents' home with a crowbar, shot and killed her father before deputies killed him.

Bouchard gave an update on the Highland Township shooting that sent dozens of deputies to the condo in far west Oakland County.

The sheriff did not give any names of the victims or the suspect but laid out the timeline of what happened.

Deputies were called by an 8-year-old girl who didn't live at the address around 8:30 a.m. A few minutes later, deputies were on the scene and were able to get two children out safely when they heard a gunshot. The deputies who arrived first ran into the home, which Bouchard is protocol.

"We don't contain and we haven't contained for a long time. We rush in," he said.

When they did, Bouchard said they found the man on top of his wife, hitting her. Deputies gave him commands to put his hands up but Bouchard said he continued before the deputies shot and killed him, saving the woman.

With the scene secure, deputies investigated and learned much more about what happened.

According to Bouchard, the woman was seeking a divorce from her husband and had left their home in Dearborn Heights to stay with her parents in Highland Twp. Wednesday morning, Bouchard said her estranged husband parked a couple of blocks away, crept through backyards, and then smashed through a sliding glass door with a crowbar.

Oakland County Sheriff details home invasion, shooting in Highland Twp

A man who broke into his estranged wife's home and shot and killed her father was killed by deputies after he refused orders to drop a weapon while he was attacking his wife, the Oakland County Sheriff said.

"When the individual arrived, he came with murderous intent. He didn't park at the house, he parked on a different street and he was wearing gloves that he had just bought," Bouchard said.

His wife's father ran for the bedroom, believed to be going for a weapon, but was chased by the suspect who shot and killed him. The man then turned to his mother-in-law and shot her as well. She's expected to survive.

Bouchard said he then left the bedroom and came upon his wife who had run upstairs with a 1-year-old in her arms while trying to get a 4-year-old to safety. As they were upstairs, an 8-year-old cousin made the 911 call.

Upstairs, the estranged spouses fought over the weapon and she was shot at least once. That gunshot is the one deputies heard when they arrived at the home. Deputies confronted him, ordered him to put the weapon down, before shooting and killing.

The man has a previous conviction of felonious assault and drug charges dating back to 1999, had stolen his wife's gun from the Dearborn Heights home, Bouchard said, and that was the gun he used on Wednesday.

The children, ages 8, 4, 1, were all unhurt physically. The man's wife and her mother were both shot but are expected to survive.