Police arrest Zachary Patten, who turned himself in after he shot and killed two people overnight in Kalamazoo, Mich. – His ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend, and his ex-wife’s new husband
Michigan police were hunting for armed and dangerous suspect in two separate slayings, Friday before he turned himself in by midday
Zachary Patten shot a 31-year-old woman around 9:30 pm, Thursday in Kalamazoo, West Mich
Patten, 32, went to the confront his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend at his home and got into an argument
The victim stepped in-between the two and took the bullet for her sibling
Early Friday Patten next shot the 29-year-old new husband of his pregnant ex-wife when he answered the door to his family home in Florence Township
Police considered Patten, who has a history of violence and arrests for assault and domestic violence, armed and dangerous
Zachary Patten told police he needed t be arrested because he shot two people, then gave himself up
32-year-old Patten who turned himself in Friday, after a brief man hunt is the prime suspect in the two shootings. Authorities were searching for him as the prime suspect in the fatal shooting of two people at different locations in West Michigan.
He then went to the hospital. Hours later, it appears Patten was done running and turned himself into the first officers he could find.
Patten is put into the squad car after voluntarily giving himself up, Friday
“Just luck,” St. Joseph County Metro Homicide detective Chris Kronewitter said of the lucky break that led to the arrest of Patten, the suspect in the shooting and killing two people Thursday night in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph County, Michigan.
“You just don’t see a double homicide suspect walk up and say ‘I wanna turn myself in’.”
“He said he believed he needed to go to jail. They asked why and he said he shot a couple people up in Michigan,” Det. Kronewitter said.
The shootings were first reported Thursday night in Kalamazoo at a mobile home park where police say Patten shot a woman. They say he then drove to a home outside Constantine where he shot a man who married his ex-wife.
Police around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday responded to reports of gunshots in Kalamazoo, where they found the first victim, a 31-year-old mother of four, who caught the bullet meant for her brother. She died at the Americana Estates mobile home park on Tray Lane in Kalamazoo after she stepped between her sibling and the suspect who were arguing.
A separate shooting unfolded nearby in Constantine not long after, WWMT reported. andKalamazoo County sheriff’s deputies reported that Patten [left] went to Americana Estates to confront his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday.
That’s when the intended victim’s sister stepped in the middle and was shot. She died at the scene.
The second shooting happened on Featherstone Road in Florence Township.
The St. Joseph County sheriff said the home belonged to Patten’s ex-wife. Authorities said Patten forced his way into the home and confronted his ex-wife’s new husband.
The husband, 29, was shot in the altercation, and taken to Three Rivers Hospital where he later died.
The sheriff said that multiple children were in the ex-wife’s home at the time of the shooting. The children and the victim’s wife, who is pregnant, were taken to a safe location while Patten is still on the run, the sheriff said.
Authorities said Patten, who has a history of violence as well as arrests for assault and domestic violence, was said to be armed and dangerous, but after he crashed his car near the airport and got tased, hospitalized then released. Hours later, detectives say Patten’s demeanor greatly changed.
“Very calm,” Det. Kronewitter. “It just seemed like he wanted to be helpful.”
Patten was questioned by detectives from Michigan, and is now in a South Bend jail cell awaiting his day in court.
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