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Knimrod
03-20-2006, 10:52 PM
Lansing: Armed suspect remains on the loose
March 20, 2006
Lansing State Journal

DELTA TWP. — Police are warning the public to be on the lookout for a man they say is armed and dangerous who shot and injured an Eaton County sheriff’s sergeant early Monday morning.

Sgt. Jeff Lutz was shot in the shoulder, treated and then released from a local hospital. The shooting occurred between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.

Lutz returned fire at the suspect, said Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines. He was unsure, however, how many shots were fired by Lutz and the suspect.

“We have some tips coming in,” Raines said, “But we caution people not to approach this man because he is armed and dangerous.”

The sergeant encountered the man behind the West Town Plaza at Saginaw and Clark Road while on patrol, Raines said. Lutz was shot as he tried to approach the man.

The sheriff’s department described the suspect as a black man about 25 years old, medium build, wearing dark clothing. Police said the suspect got away on foot.

Officers immediately cordoned off an area from Waverly Road to Clark Road and from West Saginaw Street north to Willow Highway and set up a perimeter. They waited until daybreak and began searching the area about 7 a.m.

“We didn’t want to go in there and mess up possible tracks that would throw off the scent of our dogs,” Raines said of the reason they wait almost three hours to start the foot search in neighborhoods. “And we wanted to make sure we could do it and do it safely. We didn’t need another officer to get shot.”

The massive manhunt involving about 40 officers and at least one helicopter was called off about 10:30 a.m., Raines said.

“It’s possible he had a car parked somewhere and he was able to escape,” Raines said. “It’s also possible he lives in that area or has a friend in an apartment. We just don’t know.”

Officers early Monday afternoon also were searching for evidence in the yards of two different homes in the 700 block of Clark Road.

Nearby St. Gerard School, a Catholic elementary and middle school with about 560 students, was put on a two-hour delay after police alerted school leaders about the situation. It was closed soon afterward because the suspect still was on the loose.

Principal Lynn Fuller said she hopes radio and television announcements went out early enough to keep families from arriving in the area.

“I’m sure it caused all kinds of havoc,” Fuller said.

Meanwhile, all of Waverly Community Schools and Windemere Park Charter Academy were placed on lockdown as a precaution. Doors were secured and recesses canceled until police called off the search.

The schools were outside the cordoned area.

Afternoon kindergarten and Early Childhood Special Education classes in Waverly also were canceled because of the lockdown. Mid-day bus runs also were canceled, requiring parents with children in morning sessions to arrange transportation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Eaton County Sheriff's Department at 372-8217.

Link to story (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060320/NEWS01/603200352/1150)

Knimrod
04-03-2006, 09:10 PM
Warrant Issued for Local Deputy Who Was Shot
April 3, 2006
WLNS News

Mike Eagen, Chief Assistant Prosecutor: "It becomes very distressing when a case like this comes about, I don't think it's easy for anyone."

The Eaton County Prosecutor's Office issues charges against a sergeant with the sheriff's office. The Eaton County Prosecutor's Office issued a four county felony warrant for Sergeant Jeff Lutz. The charges Sergeant Jeff Lutz faces are making a false report of a felony, shooting at a police car, reckless use of a firearm and filing a false report to a police radio station.

All of the charges allege his own involvement in shooting himself. Two weeks ago, Eaton County Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Lutz was shot while on duty, and now investigators believe they know who fired the gun.

Mike Eagen: "The investigation done by the state police and the Eaton County Sheriff's Department indicated that this was a self-inflicted wound."

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mike Eagen issued a warrant for felony charges against Sergeant Lutz. He says Lutz is now the sole focus of the investigation. Detectives are no longer looking for a composite sketch of a suspect that the sergeant gave.

Mike Eagen: "We want people to know the investigation into the person described as being involved in this shooting and the vehicle that was described that investigation has now ended."

What has not ended is the case against Jeff Lutz. Eagen did not comment on the evidence investigators presented to him, but he was able to say just how serious the allegations are, reporting a crime that isn't true is a four-year felony.

Mike Eagen: "It is a major thing that occurred when it turns out that this is not true."

And the repercussions will take a toll on everyone involved. Right now, Jeff Lutz is not in police custody. I spoke with his attorney, he wouldn't tell me where Lutz is at, but he said Jeff Lutz is not a threat to the public.

Link to story (http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=4718417)

Knimrod
04-03-2006, 09:13 PM
More Details on Deputy Accused of Shooting Himself
April 3, 2006
WLNS News

The Eaton County Prosecutor's Office issued a four count felony warrant to Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Lutz. Investigators allege that Lutz shot himself while on duty just two weeks ago. I talked with Jeff Lutz's Attorney Mike Hocking. He wasn't able to tell me where exactly Lutz is, but he gave some background information to help us understand why the man is not a threat to the community.

For the past two weeks, investigators have been looking for a suspect Eaton County Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Lutz says shot him while on duty, but now investigators are looking at Lutz himself.

Mike Eagen, Chief Asst. Prosecutor: "The investigation done by the state police, and the Eaton County Sheriff's Department indicated that this was a self-inflicted wound."

Eaton County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mike Eagen issued a four-count warrant for Jeff Lutz, but Lutz is not in police custody yet. His attorney says there's a reason for that.

Mike Hocking, Attorney: "My client is in a treatment facility for a variety of reasons, many of the related to this case."

He says Jeff Lutz sought treatment on his own. Hocking says, in the past ten years, Lutz has been involved in two other shootings while on duty. He's also going through divorce, and that's just some of the background, Hocking says, that could factor into the investigation.

Mike Hocking: "Stress, medical issues, medications, things of that nature all will play a role in this case in sorting out what happened."

Hockings says Lutz is ready to deal with the charges issued and will turn himself in as soon as he's released from the treatment facility. Hocking says the next 48 hours will tell exactly when he will bring Jeff Lutz in on the charges.

Link to story (http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=4719522)

Louis
04-09-2006, 09:36 AM
As a gun rights supporter, pro-Consitution, right wing citizen of Lansing I am baffled and dissapointed that there hasn't been more outrage over this incident. I believe that 2nd ammendment supporters in this area should jump all over this pathetic waste of a human being, even more than the local African American community has. Incidents like this only serve to damage our cause because Law Enforcement is viewed by the layperson as "firearms experts." We'll not get into how this couldn't be any further from the truth at this time.

Your average white, gun owning citizen should be incensed that this man is being coddled by Eaton County with a possibility to face only 4 years in prison. Could you imagine if this had been an average citizen? Instead of being asked to remember "He's going through a divorce," we'd be told how this person was an insane madman and possibly a terrorist with today's mindset. In fact, Eaton Co. responded to this situation as though a terrorist were on the loose, inflicting terror on the residents of the area this incident occured. Lutz should be charged with as many Terror related charges as possible.

I, for one, am tired of seeing Law Enforcement brazenly disregarding firearm safety on a DAILY basis. It is obvious that the lawful firearm owner has far more attention to detail with regard to safety. Given the way the average policeman or sherrif handles their firearms I think it's high time we take away them away and leave them in the more capable hands of S.W.A.T. and their ilk. Looking at this story, several others in this forum, and the story out of Los Angeles last year. Remember the one where the cop waved his pistol at the camera before his posse emptied hundreds of rounds into a white SUV? They managed to miss the suspect completely, injure at least one officer, and shoot up the neighborhood in general. Law Enforcement is making it very difficult to give them support.

fbuckner
04-09-2006, 06:24 PM
I bet my Wife he wouldnt turn himself in. This is so stupid 1. he used a gun in a crime so why was he given bond? answer -Because he was a cop professional courtesy.
Im not bashing any cops here just a bad one.