Kalamazoo, MI: On Tuesday, January 24th, 2017, at approximately 9:48a.m., Kalamazoo Public Safety Officers were dispatched to the 2500 block of Monterey Dr. regarding a man shooting at a house. Upon arrival, officers found that a female had been shot in the upper chest area. Just a few minutes prior to this incident, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department took a report of an Armed Robbery at the CITGO Gas Station in Comstock. Information regarding the description of the male involved, along with the suspect’s vehicle, pointed towards this being the same suspect.
Township Police arrived on Monterey St first initiating a pursuit westbound down Mosel Rd. The suspect, driving a maroon Dodge Caravan was able to elude officers as he disregarded all traffic signal / signs, and driving upwards of 100 mph. A few minutes later, Kalamazoo Public Safety received 911 calls advising a female had been car jacked at the corner of Drake Rd and Croyden St. Officers made contact with this victim, locating the same suspects’ Dodge Caravan, along with the shotgun he had used at the Armed Robbery and Shooting on Monterey.
The suspect fled the area in a blue Chevrolet Malibu he had stolen from the Drake Rd incident. It wasn’t too long after the vehicle theft; County Dispatch received another call regarding this man’s rampage. The suspect had crashed the blue Malibu on TS near 42nd Ave, completely destroying the vehicle. Witnesses at the scene advised he remained in the vehicle after he had crashed into the tree. Several officers from multiple jurisdictions responded to this location and took him into custody without incident.
Today, January 26th, 2017, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety submitted the case to the Prosecutor’s office for multiple charges ranging from Attempted Murder and Arson, as the suspect had also reportedly set a house on fire in the 2500 block of E. G Ave.
Mr. Matthew Todd Steppenwolf, 28 years of age, from the Plainwell area, was arraigned on the following charges: Count 1 Armed Robbery, Count 2 Felony Firearm, Count 3 Second Degree Arson, Count 4 Firearms – Discharge in or at a Building causing Injury, Count 5 Felony Firearm, Count 6 Second Degree Arson, Count 7 Ethnic Intimidation, Count 8 Felony Firearm, Count 9 Carjacking, and Count 10 Felony Firearm. Mr. Steppenwolf is currently lodged at the Kalamazoo County Jail with no bond.
Kalamazoo Public Safety would like to thank all the citizens that assisted with bringing this investigation to a close. This was another example of how great our community and its people are, and how they come together to quell violence and the damage one person chooses to commit.
Anyone who may have information regarding this investigation is asked to call Kalamazoo Public Safety at 337-8994 or Silent Observer at 343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.
By authority of Ex. Lt. Brad Misner
Date: January 24th, 2017
Address: 150 E. Crosstown Parkway, Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Contact: Captain Victor Ledbetter, Criminal Investigations Division, 337-8139
