Police up in the far north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are searching for an armed terrorist who ambushed their post early Wednesday morning, September 6. While they aren’t real far from the Canadian border, it’s not clear if that factors into the situation.
Armed terrorist ambushes police
Law enforcement officials in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan don’t usually have terrorist attacks on their base of operations, which is probably why they were targeted.
They have their work cut out for them now, tracking the “armed and dangerous” suspect “who they say set fire to multiple state police vehicles and struck them with rifle rounds.”
Thankfully none of the vehicles were occupied when they came under fire around 3:30 a.m. Police recorded the terrorist on surveillance camera but couldn’t chase him down since their units were out of commission.
Michigan State Police cars set on fire, shot up in Sault Ste. Marie
Police searching today for a suspect in an arson and shooting at the MSP’s Sault Ste. Marie Post, where they say multiple police vehicles were set on fire and struck by rifle rounds around 3:30am today.
The… pic.twitter.com/tnilGFD0bV
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 6, 2023
“The suspect is still at large and is described as a white male wearing camouflage. He was last seen driving a silver Honda CRV.”
News outlets are noting that the town “is located at the northeastern end of the Upper Peninsula in Northern Michigan, near the US-Canada border.”
Officials note that the “police post will remain closed Wednesday.” They’re also asking the public to avoid police stations in general, to be on the safe side. There may be another terrorist out there.
Everyone remain vigilant
Police are well aware that they can’t be everywhere, especially not in rural areas along the Canadian frontier. “We ask everyone to remain vigilant. If you see something, say something.”
Call it in, they urge, don’t try to be a hero. They also posted “several photos of the suspect and vehicle.” When last spotted, the terrorist was “heading south on I-75 Business Loop.”
According to First Lieutenant Mike Shaw, “the warning extends 300 miles to the south to MSP’s Detroit post on West Grand Boulevard near the Fisher Building.” He also added, the terrorist hasn’t given them much in the way of clues. “No motive as of yet.”
Multiple patrol vehicles at the Sault Ste. Marie Post were lit on fire and struck by rifle rounds at approximately 3:30am. The suspect is still at large and is described as a white male wearing camouflage. He was last seen driving a silver Honda CRV. pic.twitter.com/fk6J8uDWh1
— MSP Eighth District (@MSPEighthDist) September 6, 2023
Another spokesman for the state police district, Lieutenant Mark Giannunzio, confirms “investigators were still assessing the damage, but that three of the cruisers are total losses.”
“Three of the four were basically destroyed by the fire. He shot at all of them and it’s a good chance all of them were hit.” He also points out that the terrorist attack “happened in an area of the post that is easily accessible to the public.”
As the lieutenant notes, “he literally just pulls into the driveway leading into the post and that’s where those four vehicles were parked.” Hopefully law enforcement nationwide will look at their own setups to see if there’s room for improvement.