Intruders shoot pot-growing homeowner

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - Police in Allegan County continue to search for three people accused in the shooting of a homeowner during a home invasion.

James Finch heard a loud knock on the door around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at his Marshall Street home in Allegan.

"The door was forcibly kicked in by one of the suspects," said Allegan Officer Jay Gibson said.

Finch struggled with one of the suspects, who was armed.

"After disarming one, another shot him in the leg," said Gibson.

Finch, 34, was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have not released descriptions of the suspects.

"It's my belief that they were after marijuana," said Gibson.

Finch told police he is a licensed caregiver and that he grows marijuana for people who have state-issued medical marijuana cards. That may also explain why Finch had installed video cameras at his home.

"The first individual walks in, he sees the camera, turns around and pulls what appears to be a mask over his face, then he is going to come and and move the camera," Gibson explained the video to 24 Hour News 8.

But before he did, the camera got a good look at one of the suspects. Police are hoping the images might help them solve the home invasion portion of the incident.

Police found an undisclosed number of marijuana plants in the house, and though they did not seize those plants, Finch could face charges as well after he recovers.

"It depends if he was a caregiver and how many people he was a caregiver for. So there is quite a laundry list of people we need to talk to and identify," said Gibson.

Finch's claim of being a licensed caregiver seems suspect. Licenses are not supposed to be granted to anyone with a drug felony, and Michigan State Police records show Finch pleaded guilty to a felony controlled substance charge in Ottawa County in 1997.

For now, police said they are more interested in finding the home invasion suspects first and focusing on possible drug charges later.