For those who have been following the bizarre ambush of a police post in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, more information about the attacker continues to trickle in, though not what we’re all waiting to hear. We’re continuing to learn more details of the assault and got an update on the suspect’s condition but officials still aren’t naming him or divulging any hints as to motive.
Attacker in critical condition
The unidentified attacker remains listed in critical condition. It’s not clear if he’s been conscious enough to give any statements to police since they shot him in an exchange of gunfire on Thursday, September 7.
He lit four police cruisers on fire then shot them for good measure early Wednesday morning. At this point, nobody has a single clue why he did it.
Lieutenant Mark Giannunzio, speaking for Michigan State Police in the 8th District, was “shocked” to learn the Sault Ste. Marie Post was violently ambushed in the pre-dawn hours.
How come we don't know more about the Floridian who came to Northern Michigan dressed in camo to attack, shoot up and torch State Police cruisers? @SooEveningNews @WNEMTV5news @wluctv6 pic.twitter.com/NugnXY59ja
— Michigan GOP Watch (@MiMagaWatch) September 9, 2023
The only good news he has to report is that there weren’t any officers in the post when the attacker struck. There’s nothing left of three State Police cruisers but “charred metal.” The fourth can be saved but it suffered moderate fire damage.
The only details they’re providing about the suspect is that he’s a “39-year-old Florida man.” Around 3:30 Wednesday morning, the attacker “doused the cruisers with gasoline, set them on fire and shot at them with a rifle.”
State police were on the job instantly and the community was happy to help them out. It didn’t take long before enough solid tips came in that they could bring a couple heavily armed tactical vehicles to corner him “just south of the Soo Thursday afternoon.”
Police the victims
Michigan State Police are not at all comfortable filling out police reports from the victim’s perspective. “Officers across the department are shocked to be a victim of a crime,” Giannunzio relates.
“We think of this kind of activity maybe as a bigger city issue, but here we are in the beautiful U.P.” When “this kind of activity happens,” he adds, “it is a reminder for everybody to stay vigilant.” Nobody can figure out what set the attacker off or why he chose that post as his target.
“Finding the ‘why’ is going to start now,” Giannunzio promised on Friday. “Once the detectives transition today and over the next few weeks, that is going to be what they are looking for. They will look for the motives and reasoning. Why did he pick the Sault Ste. Marie State Police Post to attack?”
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
He’s extremely relieved the attacker “is in custody and he is no longer an active threat to the Michigan State Police troopers.” Now they’re hoping he’ll live so they can put him on trial for it.
“It is startling,” Giannunzio relates. “These work sites are supposed to be our safe spaces where our troopers can go, let down their hair and get the paperwork done.”
“When our building and our cars are attacked in those areas, it is a big wakeup call to say that this could happen anywhere at any time.” They just want to know why the attacker did it at this point. That might help prevent the next one.