PIPESTONE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An investigative team from the Michigan State Police is formally reviewing the death of a man who was arrested on Wednesday for suspected domestic violence and assault.
The man died in custody of law enforcement officials. State troopers were assisting Berrien County Sheriff's deputies in the response leading up to the incident.
On Wednesday, trooper and deputies went to the area of Bailey and Townhall Road in Pipestone Township. They were tracking a man who, accused of aggravated domestic assault, attempted arson, and some pre-existent warrants, had fled into the woods.
With the help of an MSP canine, officers discovered the man in the woods, sitting against a tree and holding a knife to his throat.
Believing the man intended to hurt himself, troopers loudly and verbally commanded him to drop the weapon. The man refused to do so. Then, troopers deployed a taser and took him into custody.
According to MSP, the tasers were deployed because troopers were trying to project him from injury.
Troopers soon realized the man couldn’t walk out of the woods by himself, based on what he was telling them. They tried to help him get out of the woods and to medical care, and troopers summoned medical responders to the scene via radio.
However, after several minutes of moving the suspect, he experience a medical emergency and became unresponsive, MSP reported.
Officers performed CPR immediately, continuing until medical responders came and took over. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital, but MSP says he died shortly after.
The man has been identified as Josh Tanner, 49, of Baroda.
The MSP Sixth District Investigative Response Team has been called upon to investigate the death. The investigation is still open pending further research, autopsy results and toxicology analysis.
