GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A ground and aerial search on Grand Rapids’ near West Side has ended with a larceny suspect now in custody.
It began just after noon Saturday, and ended around 4:30 p.m. Grand Rapids Police tell FOX 17 there was an initial report the suspect may’ve been armed with a gun. He took off running when spotted by police at a homeless camp near Gunnison Avenue and the Grand River, and police say the manhunt ended a few blocks west of the river.
The GRPD Special Response Team and a GRPD K-9 helped officers track the suspect down in a wooded area, while a police negotiator was summoned to the scene.
Twitter image.
The GRPD later tweeted that the suspect – whom they described as a parole absconder – had climbed 30 feet up into a tree and tried to hang himself from the tree with his own clothing. He was then shot several times with bean bags, at which point police say the suspect climbed down the tree.
According to a police news release, the suspect was then taken into custody and treated for minor injuries at the scene, and then taken to a hospital for physical and mental evaluation, before being taken to jail for booking.
The GRPD said in a Twitter post that the suspect had stolen a gun and was wanted on unspecified warrants. He “ran from officers when contact was made at a river-side homeless camp.”
The Michigan State Police assisted Grand Rapids Police by bringing in a chopper.
