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Woman in critical condition after ex-boyfriend's targeted shooting
A woman was struck multiple times in Saline after a man identified as her ex-boyfriend she had gotten a personal protection order against shot her.
SALINE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A shocking moment of crime in quiet part of Washtenaw County unfolded Thursday when a gunman targeting his ex-girlfriend shot her and another man in Saline.
The suspect, a 55-year-old man from Lenawee County, was arrested after the shooting when he tried fleeing police in his vehicle. He eventually crashed before being taken into custody. The Saline police chief said a sheriff's deputy tased him for failing to follow commands.
The startling scene unfolded near the school's middle school, across from an assisted living facility. He was arrested a few miles away closer to downtown.
"First I was just inside and I heard the loud crash and I heard people shouting," said Hilary Connors, who witnessed the crash involving the suspect. "A bunch of sheriff police from Pittsfield, Saline, the state trooper - they all came rushing out with weapons drawn and told me to get in the house."
Prior to the shooting which happened around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Saline Police Chief Marlene Radzik said officers were conducting active shooter training when the 911 lines lit up.
"It’s not common for our 911 lines to just keep going off and going off we knew something was going on," she said.
The calls coming in were of an active shooter near the Linden Square Assisted Living Facility.
"Thankfully we were actually doing a training exercise for active shooter over at the Saline High School which is in Pittsfield Township. We had a lot of cooperation quickly because we were in training," Radzik said.
A large police presence followed as troopers raced toward the UAW Hall on Woodland Drive near Maple, just across from the assisted living facility.
Before the shooting, a 40-year-old woman who worked at the facility had walked outside with a friend for a smoke break in the parking lot.
"When she was walking across the street with another male acquaintance the suspect was waiting and just started opening fire," the chief said.
She was struck multiple times after the gunman, identified as her ex-boyfriend, exited his vehicle and started shooting. She's currently in critical condition. The other victim, a male in his 50s, is in stable condition.
The shooter fled in his vehicle before crashing head-on into a yellow SUV.
A good Samaritan stopped the shooter from getting any further after blocking him with his vehicle. Police then arrived and took him into custody.
The female victim had a personal protection order against the shooter, police said. The chief also said the suspect has a previous history of assaults, including some domestic-related.