Man with illegal gun attempts to evade police by running into Kalamazoo marathon

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A 23-year-old man from Kalamazoo is facing federal charges after reportedly being caught with a gun by an off-duty detective running a marathon.

According to authorities, an off-duty detective was running the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon on May 5 when she saw a man pull a handgun from his waistband as he was arguing with a woman, causing her to run off. Police said she and another Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officer approached the man and attempted to take him into custody, but he also ran off. The man was reportedly able to elude police by fleeing into the crowd of runners at the marathon.

Police said they utilized dogs borrowed from Western Michigan University police to track the suspect, who they found hiding underneath a boat in a backyard. The gun he allegedly had was also recovered.

Police bodycam footage of the arrest can be seen in the video player above.

Jaeontae Moore was charged Aug. 7, 2024, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces the possibility of 15 years behind bars.