SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — A woman who was shot in the abdomen early Friday morning in Van Buren County is recuperating after undergoing surgery at a Kalamazoo-area hospital. And the man who allegedly pulled the trigger is in jail.
It happened in a home on Chambers Street, around 4 a.m., in South Haven.
Police say the victim is “extremely fortunate” that the bullet didn’t hit any of her vital organs. South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson says the woman managed to call 911, and tell Van Buren County dispatchers “I’ve been shot. I need an ambulance.”
Chief Thompson says the women’s children were all at home when it happened. “One boy said he heard a pop – it was the gunshot – and by the time he went to the bedroom where his mom was, the suspect had fled.”
Police say the victim and the 50-year-old suspect apparently had a dating relationship prior to the domestic dispute. Thompson says neighbors are familiar with the man, and were able to describe his car to responding officers. Not long after that, police spotted the suspect’s car at his home in Covert Township, and took him into custody without incident, says Thompson.
He likely will be formally charged with ‘Assault with Intent to Murder” on Monday, in 7th District Court in South Haven, according to police.
Meanwhile, doctors expect the victim to fully recover from her injuries. “It worked well,” says Chief Thompson. “The officers…had a very quick response time. Unfortunately, (the shooting) shows the mentality of some…there are just evil people. This was cold-hearted.”
