Police: Man robs former classmate

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - Police in Kalamazoo arrested a man who they say robbed a former classmate at gunpoint.

Public safety officers were called around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday to a home in the 500 block of E. Kalamazoo Avenue. They arrived and talked to the victim who said his business partner got a long gun and came to help fend off the suspect.

The suspect ran from the scene after stealing some of the victim's property, including his car keys, police said.
The victim identified the suspect as a former high school classmate.
 
Police were able to track down where the suspect lives -- in the 6600 block of Ravine Road in Alamo Township -- and went there to further investigate.

Sheriff's deputies also arrived at the home around 10:30 p.m. and surrounded it after noticing the suspect was inside.

Police tried to contact the 32-year-old man by phone and then bullhorns to get him to surrender. But he did not respond.

Then around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, the suspect came out of the home and taken into custody without incident. A second person, a 29-year-old man, was also arrested at the home on three outstanding warrants.

Officers then saw smoke coming from the house. They went inside to investigate and found marijuana had been burned inside the bathroom.

A search warrant for the home was obtained shortly before 1 a.m., and police located the property -- including a handgun and some marijuana -- that was taken from the armed robbery.

The 32-year-old suspect was taken to the Kalamazoo County Jail on charges of armed robbery and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. The other suspect is also behind bars due to the warrants.
The prosecutor's office will review the case.

If you have any more information about these incidents you are asked to call the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 269.337.8994 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.