A late Monday night shooting outside of Ameriwood Industries in Dowagiac appears to be at least one step closer to being solved.
The head of the Dowagiac Police, Steve Grinnewald, says his department has identified several suspects involved in the shooting and carjacking that occurred at Ameriwood Industries earlier this week on Monday night, January 21st, and adds that charges have been filed by the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office against a South Bend man.
Those multiple charges include:
- Conspiracy to commit Robbery (Maximum Life Penalty)
- Armed Robbery (Maximum Life Penalty)
- Car Jacking (Maximum Life Penalty)
- Conspiracy to commit Carjacking (Maximum Life Penalty)
- Conspiracy to commit Unarmed Robbery (Maximum 15 year Penalty)
- Unarmed Robbery (Maximum 15 year Penalty)
- Felony Firearm (4 Counts-2 years consecutive)
Those charges and the ensuing investigation allege that several people from South Bend traveled to Dowagiac in a stolen Lexus SUV where they robbed a 21 year old Hartford man of marijuana, packaging materials and then carjacked his vehicle. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in the parking lot of Ameriwood where the Hartford victim was a late shift worker.
Dowagiac officers indicate that the robbery victim was shot several times during the course of the robbery. He was treated for several gunshot wounds and was eventually released from the hospital on Wednesday evening.
Dowagiac Police had alerted other law enforcement agencies in both Michigan and Indiana as their investigation unfolded. The Dowagiac Police Department was subsequently advised that the Nappanee, Indiana Police Department had been involved in a vehicle pursuit of a Lexus SUV early Tuesday morning and had taken three occupants into custody. Officers learned that the Lexus in the case had been stolen from an auto repair business in Mishawaka.
Officers arrested one of the subjects, a 20 year old South Bend man. He is currently being held in the Elkhart County Jail on the charges indicated in this story, and is awaiting extradition proceedings before being returned to Michigan. Officers are requesting charges on the driver of a vehicle, a 38 year old female from South Bend. She is currently being held in the Elkhart County Jail and will face extradition proceedings as well.
Grinnewald says there is no immediate indication that anyone from the Dowagiac area was involved in the alleged crimes currently under investigation.
Meanwhile, with the incident remaining under investigation by Dowagiac Police, they are asking anyone in the entire region and beyond who has information regarding the people involved in the theft of the Lexus SUV from the Mishawaka area and the shooting and robbery at Ameriwood in Dowagiac, to contact the Mishawaka Police Department and the Dowagiac Police Departments, respectively. Dowagiac Police can be reached at (269) 782-9743, or the Cass County Tip Line at (800) 462-9328.
Grinnewald adds that all individuals involved in the case are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
