KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, Kalamazoo Sheriff Richard Fuller announced that he had presented the Sheriff’s Award of Excellence to several Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority dispatchers.
The awards stem from an incident last December, when gunman William Jones broke into a Comstock Township home and murdered one of the occupants.
Fuller’s announcement can be read in full below:
“On December 1, 2019, around 10:00 p.m., an armed gunman entered a residence occupied by a man, woman, and young child who had no previous contact with the suspect. The suspect held the homeowners hostage at gun point for several minutes while a 911 call was made.
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, Kalamazoo Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police immediately responded. Dispatch and officers communicated with the suspect over the phone for several minutes. The suspect abruptly ended the conversation and discharged a firearm inside the house. Fearing for the safety of the occupants, Deputies, PSO’s, and Troopers entered the residence immediately.
While inside, the suspect had concealed himself within a ground floor bedroom with the male home owner. The woman and child had retreated to a room on the second floor. Deputies, PSO’s, and Troopers attempted to communicate with the suspect. The suspect began firing a hand gun through the walls of the bedroom and into random areas of the house. The rounds struck a Deputy, PSO, and Trooper who were attempting to rescue this family.
The suspect then shot and killed the male home owner, and attempted to flee the residence. The suspect was immediately arrested without incident outside of the residence.
The actions taken during this tragic event show extraordinary heroism during an imminent threat to their lives and the lives of the victims.
All of the Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority (KCCDA) dispatchers performed vitally important and necessary tasks during and after this incident, including fielding the initial 911 call from the house. This call was critical in deescalating the suspect, allowing law enforcement to respond. The 911 call quickly developed into a hostage negotiation. This effort was vital for the survival of two of the victims within the residence. Although one occupant of the residence was tragically killed, the efforts of the KCCDA dispatchers made a major difference in the outcome of this crime and the survival of the two remaining occupants. The KCCDA team should be commended for performing their duties in a professional manner during and after this chaotic, stressful, and horrific incident.
As Sheriff, and on behalf of the citizens we serve, I wish to commend you for your initiative, professionalism, and exemplary performance. Your actions bring credit to yourself and to the Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority. Congratulations on a job well done!
Sincerely, Richard C. Fuller III, Sheriff.”
None of the dispatchers were listed by name in the announcement.
