GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Police are searching for a man who they say shot at a fugitive task force member Tuesday afternoon in Grand Rapids.
The shots were fired on Sherman Street near Dolbee Avenue in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Police Department Sgt. John Wittkowski said the officer was in the area watching a home in an unmarked vehicle while looking for Maxamillion Long, who is wanted for absconding parole.
Wittkowski said the officer saw a car leaving the home and someone inside fired multiple shots at the officer’s car. None of them hit him and the officer did not return fire.
"From all indications, he was unprovoked. The marshal, at this point in time, was merely observing until he got additional units in the area," Wittkowski said Tuesday.
Police say Long should be considered armed and dangerous.
He is believed to be in a metallic blue Chevrolet Cruze with a Michigan license plate, No. ECT9155. There may be other people inside the vehicle.
“This is a very close call. This is pretty rare in the city of Grand Rapids, we don’t typically see this level of violence, but this is what we’re dealing with out here. A parole absconder who is a bad person, I mean, we’re out here looking for these individuals with the assistance of other law enforcement personnel and this is a situation that could have turned quite tragic,” Wittkowski said.
Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday police confirmed to FOX 17 that they had a home surrounded in the area of Sherman and Dolbee, believed to be connected with the shooting earlier in the day. Tactical teams with the Grand Rapids Police Department created a perimeter and staged as negotiators spoke over a bullhorn.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story identified the law enforcement member who was shot at as a U.S. marshal. Police have since said he was a member of a fugitive force, and not a U.S. marshal.
