Officer Shot During A Foot Chase
Melvindale: A Melvindale PD officer was shot after making contact with 2 subjects at Oakwood & Dix, Finish Line Car Wash, Sunday morning around 11:40AM.
A Melvindale officer notified dispatch he was out making contact with 2 at the car wash, 2621 Oakwood. Shortly after contact was made, the officer reported he had at least 1 subject running from the scene.
The officer reported the suspect was running through a backyard in the 17344 Clarann St.
Melvindale dispatch made numerous attempts to contact with the officer(s) while responding officers repeatedly asked for more information, the incident was taking place in the City of Melvindale and responding Dearborn officers were unfamiliar with streets.
Contact was eventually made when an officer reported there was an officer down and requested rescue and more units to the shooting scene on Clarann.
Fire Station 5/Rescue 5 was dispatched and conveyed the wounded officer to the hospital.
Units from multiple agencies including, Dearborn, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, Allen Park, Detroit Police, Michigan State Police, BATFE, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and Wyandotte were dispatched to the scene while officers gathered information on the suspect, later identified as Michael Lopez, a 44yo Puerto Rican male, 6′ 1″ wearing all dark clothes with gold accents according to dispatch audio. Witnesses on scene reported the suspect was last seen heading EB on Dora.
Agencies requested K9 and an air unit to the scene. MSP reported Melvindale PD was required to contact MSP Air due to them being an outside agency. No MSP air assets were airborne at the time and needed to to be recalled. Dispatch audio suggests in order to be recalled, MSP needed a call to their operations from Melvindale PD so a recall could be initiated.
While waiting for MSP or Oakland County air to make the scene, a drone requested to the scene.
Officers notified dispatch that a gun was tossed by the suspect on Dora and that weapon was recovered.
Witnesses reported the suspect stole a bike while fleeing, a green mountain bike according to dispatch audio and was last seen heading north towards Oakwood.
Subsequent dispatch audio announced the officer was deceased at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn. Notifications have been made.
The search for the suspect continues and the area is completely locked down at the time of this writing. MSP’s Trooper 3 is assisting in the search.
