SOUTHGATE, Mich. – A man accused of shooting two Southgate police officers appeared in court for the first time on Sunday.
Jeremiah Christian Kemp is accused of opening fire on three officers on June 19, striking two of them in the leg, and leading police on a manhunt until he was arrested hours later.
During the arraignment, new details emerged regarding Kemp’s attempts to evade capture after the shooting.
The 20-year-old appeared virtually in court, facing multiple felony charges and a million-dollar bond. Prosecutors said that the encounter began when police received reports of a man waving a gun at a Southgate apartment complex.
Prior to Thursday’s shooting, Kemp was already on felony probation and had a history of legal troubles, including domestic violence and retail fraud in various Michigan communities.
Prosecutors described how Kemp allegedly terrorized residents at the Southgate apartment complex, where he was reportedly armed with a stolen firearm.
“He was armed with a firearm. That firearm happened to be stolen from the same complex that he frequents not too long ago,” said Rana Hadied, an assistant prosecutor for Wayne County.
Following the shooting, Kemp attempted to flee, and when authorities located him at a residence, he allegedly lied about his identity and had changed his clothes.
The magistrate expressed serious concerns about the details of the case, labeling Kemp as a flight-risk before issuing the million-dollar-bond.
While both injured officers are expected to survive, it was revealed that one of them still has a bullet lodged in his leg.
Kemp is scheduled to be in court again in July.
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