An Oceana County man was fatally wounded by police Sunday, Aug.17, after allegedly shooting another man in the leg before fleeing on foot into the woods near Mears.
Police were dispatched to the 7500 block of Fox Road after being alerted that someone had been shot and an armed suspect may be in the woods. That suspect was identified as Don Albert Stapel Jr., 59.
After hours of searching, Michigan State Police (MSP) notified the public via their “X” profile that Stapel had been found in an outbuilding, while simultaneously lifting the shelter in place that had been ordered earlier.
At approximately 6:40 p.m., it was reported that Stapel had been fatally wounded during the police response. Detectives from the MSP Fifth District Investigative Response Team were called to the scene to conduct the officer-involved-shooting investigation.
