By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
WHITE PIGEON — A woman is dead and a man has life-threatening injuries following a shooting incident at the White Pigeon McDonald’s restaurant Friday.
According to Michigan State Police, the incident occurred at 4:30 p.m. in the restaurant’s parking lot on the corner of U.S. 12 and U.S. 131 in White Pigeon.
Police say the two people involved in the shooting were reportedly a separated couple, a 29-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman from Sturgis, who had met at the McDonald’s for a customary child custody exchange. Police claim that with the woman sitting in her vehicle and the man standing outside, a verbal altercation took place. At some point, police claim, the man allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot the woman multiple times, then subsequently shot himself.
The woman was reportedly transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries, and later was pronounced dead from her injuries. The suspect was transported to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, and as of Friday night remains in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. There were no reports of other people being shot or injured during the incident, according to police, and the couple’s children were reportedly not present during the incident. Police say they were with other family members.
Friday’s incident remains open, police say, pending further investigation, autopsy reports, and lab analysis. When completed, police say a copy of the full report will be submitted to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Troopers were assisted at the scene by multiple agencies, including the White Pigeon and Constantine Police and Fire units, Three Rivers Police and Ambulance, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, LifeCare Ambulance, Med Flight and Samaritan Flight.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
