Prosecutor: Suspect killed, 2 officers injured following officer-involved shooting

By BRIANNA OWCZARZAK, JAMES PAXSON, KENDALL KEYS

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    BURTIN, Michigan (WNEM) — A suspect was killed and two police officers were injured following an officer-involved shooting in Burton on Tuesday.

It happened in the area of Saginaw Street and Bristol Road Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 21. Central dispatch put out a call about 1:56 p.m. for a person with a gun in the area of Columbine and Bristol.

Burton Police Officer Dalton Christie and Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Fachting responded to the area. Law enforcement located the suspect, a man in his 20s, and started to chase after him, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said.

The suspect attempted to climb a fence while being chased when it collapsed. Christie and Fachting tried to pull the fence off the suspect when he opened fire on the officers, Leyton said.

The officers returned fire and killed the suspect, Leyton said.

Christie is in fair condition, while Fachting is in critical condition, according to Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Both are expected to survive.

Backup officers secured the scene. Both Fachting and Christie were taken to the hospital in the back of patrol cars, according to Swanson.

Both officers have less than two years on the job and are in their mid-20s. The last incident where an officer was shot in Burton was in 1983, according to Mayor Duane Hawkins.

The suspect in Tuesday’s incident was involved with Burton Police a week before the incident. Both officers attempted to give aid to the shooter after the suspect was shot, according to Swanson.

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