Written by Tanya Terry
Sheriff Chris Swanson and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton presented tragic news about violence that started in Burton and occurred in Vienna and Genesee Townships on the same day. Swanson said the violence began early in the morning on March 19.
“And the family involved is a high profile family that’s beloved in this community…” Swanson added.
The family he was speaking of was and is the family of Congressman Dan Kildee.
At around 2:50 a.m., a family member came to the house on the 3500 block of Columbine in Burton and was involved in a verbal confrontation. Swanson stated at that time, a gun was presented.
The 27-year-old suspect took off on foot, and Burton City Police responded.
The suspect made contact with his birth mother shortly after 5 a.m. The suspect’s mother picked him up and was taking the suspect back to the home of his 57-year-old father in Vienna Township, at the 9000 block of Neff Road.
“During that transition, while she was driving, the suspect jumped out of the moving vehicle,” noted Swanson. “The birth mom and the ex-wife of the 57-year-old father, they connected and said ‘we need to go find him.’”
According to Swanson, in the home in Vienna Township, there was another family member sleeping in the basement who lives there. This family member stated that when the dad left to go find his son with the mother, shortly thereafter they came back.
“And there was just the dad.”
A “yelling match” was heard by the family member in the basement.
“And there was a comment made about ‘give me your wallet and your key’ made by the 27-year-old suspect.”
The wallet was later found on the suspect’s person.
“During the verbal confrontation, the son downstairs heard one shot, and that shot took the life of Timothy Kildee, the brother of Congressman Dan Kildee.”
The suspect is in custody but in the hospital.
“This is what we believe, and our investigation shows. The vehicle of the victim was taken and stolen from the driver about eight minutes after that shooting, and the 9-1-1 call goes out – a high impact personal injury accident happened in Genesee Township, at Dort and Stanley.”
The vehicle is believed to have been driving at a rate of speed far exceeding the speed limit.
Two individuals in another pickup truck were hit, and they were not seriously injured.
“But the suspect has serious injuries and was transported to Hurley Hospital.”
There were no other suspects at press time.
The investigation is ongoing Leyton pointed out the suspect has not been charged, but he said he has a sheriff’s guard on him.
Leyton said: “If the law is applied to the facts” the suspect will probably be facing a count of open murder, a count of carjacking, a charge of armed robbery, a charge of using a firearm during a commission of a felony, a charge of carrying a concealed weapon and likely a motor vehicle infraction due to the crash.
A toxicology report is not yet complete.
Swanson said the behavior of the suspect would lead anyone to believe he was having a breakdown, or other entanglement that caused him to be so violent.
Congressman Kildee was in Washington at the time of the tragedy, but he headed back when he was notified of what happened.
He issued this statement following his brother’s death:
“Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy.
“I thank the community for honoring my family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
