Officers were dispatched at approximately 3:45 p.m. on October 12 to the 300 block of South Union Street NW, near Silver Creek Avenue, after reports of gunfire. Police said the incident involved a man and a woman in what investigators described as a domestic-related situation.
According to Sparta Police Chief Andrew Milanowski, the woman managed to reach the police department after being shot. The chief said he personally went to assist her after being alerted that a wounded woman was in the building.
The woman was taken to hospital with injuries that officials described as not life-threatening.
Police believe the man involved died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His identity had not been publicly confirmed in the reports available at the time of publication.
The shooting brought multiple law enforcement agencies to the area, including officers from Sparta, Walker and Rockford, along with Michigan State Police and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office.
Nearby schools and businesses were temporarily placed under lockdown while officers worked to establish what had happened and determine whether there was any continuing danger. Police later said they believed the incident was isolated and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
A witness who was working nearby told local media that he heard gunshots and went toward the scene. He described finding the man on the ground and attempting to provide first aid before emergency personnel arrived.
Despite those efforts, the man died at the scene, according to local reporting. Investigators continued processing evidence as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances of the shooting.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with the investigation. Authorities have not publicly established every detail of the events leading up to the shooting, and the official findings remain important to understanding what occurred.
Officials have also clarified that online speculation linking the incident to a nearby business was not supported by the information released by authorities.
The shooting has raised concern among residents in the Sparta community, particularly given the incident’s proximity to schools and other local facilities.
