Southgate manhunt: How police tracked down 20-year-old who shot two officers

Southgate police manhunt ends in suspect's arrest

Here is how dozens of responding officers tracked down a 20-year-old suspect who allegedly shot two Southgate police officers that responded to reports of the man waiving a gun around.

SOUTHGATE, Mich. (FOX 2) - What started as a call for reports of a man waiving a gun turned into an hours-long manhunt with two police officers wounded when a suspected gunman ambushed them late Thursday afternoon.

It would take hours before a resolution was reached - ending with one arrest, two injured Southgate police officers resting, and a big happy photo of everyone who assisted.

The backstory:

Around 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon, Southgate police received a call about an individual waiving a gun around the Reserve Apartment complex off of Northline Road at Village Park Drive.

Two police officers near the end of a 12-hour shift responded and were almost immediately ambushed by the gunman, who struck both of the officers in the leg, police said.

The suspect then jumped from the second floor of the apartment, fleeing on foot as calls for backup came in. 

A manhunt was ordered for an armed male wearing black clothes while residents were ordered to shelter in place amid fears he could be dangerous.

Heavily armed officers on a manhunt in Southgate. 

Big picture view:

Backup arrived in the form of both federal and local law enforcement agencies, totaling more than 70 officers. 

Troops armed with tactical gear and K-9 units were dispatched to the area around the apartment. A search was initiated as officers went grid by grid, block by block, looking for the suspect.

At approximately 5:40 p.m., police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Jeremiah Kemp, a resident of Wayne who has had interactions with police in the past. 

That includes three tickets in Southgate for vehicle-related offenses, including driving without a license and impeding traffic. 

As police surveyed the surrounding area, they ordered a BOLO (be on the lookout) with an image of Kemp being issued to the community. 

Jeremiah Kemp, 20, of Wayne.

At the end:

Kemp was arrested not too far from the original scene. 

As police expanded their search for the 20-year-old, they circled back around to one of the nearby apartment complexes. They eventually found Kemp in one of the units, taking him into custody without incident.

The search took about four and a half hours before coming to an end. 

The injured officers had both been transported to the hospital and were released by the end of the night, according to Southgate Direcotr of Public Safety Joe Marsh.

"They're angry, obviously - they both just got shot. Almost through their 12-hour shift, but they're good," he told the media afterward.

He planned to show a photo of every officer involved that assisted in the arrest, imagining it would bring a smile to their faces.

The photo of police who tracked down a 20-year-old suspect who allegedly shot two Southgate police officers. Photo via Southgate Police. 

What's next:

Police still have not tracked down the firearm Kemp used in the original shooting. Anyone that does find it is asked to call police.

Kemp is expected to be arraigned in the near-future, possibly as soon as Friday or over the weekend. 

More details will be revealed when prosecutors discuss the case with a judge.