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Ludington officer recovering from gunshot wound

5:35 PM, Jun 27, 2012   |    comments
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  • Ludington Police Sgt. David Maltbie
  • Photo of the standoff in Ludington by viewer Melissa Daniels. (6/26/12)
  • Photo of the standoff in Ludington by viewer Melissa Daniels. (6/26/12)
  • Photo of the standoff in Ludington by WZZM 13's Blake Naftel. 6/26/12
  • Photo of the standoff in Ludington by WZZM 13's Blake Naftel. 6/26/12
  • Photo of the standoff in Ludington by viewer Melissa Daniels. (6/26/12)
    

UPDATE 5:30 p.m. (WZZM)- The Ludington Police Department says Sergeant David Maltbie has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WZZM) -- Investigators say a Ludington Police officer and a suspect are being treated for gunshot injuries after a shootout and standoff.

It started around 6:50 p.m. Tuesday when two Ludington officers were the first to respond to a domestic complaint at a home at 707 N. Delia Street.  Two more Ludington officers and two Mason County Sheriff's deputies also arrived on the call. 

Investigators say the man living at the Delia home was outside when the officers arrived, but went inside and retrieved a shotgun, then began shooting at the officers.  Police returned fire, hitting the suspect in the shoulder.  In the gunfight, Ludington Police Sgt. David Maltbie was hit by a shotgun blast to the chest and neck.

Police and Ludington Firefighters sealed off the area around the Delia Street house, blocking several streets.  Reinforcements from the Ludington and Pentwater police departments, Mason and Oceana County sheriff's departments, and Michigan State Police soon arrived.

The suspect's wife also outside the house during the exchange of gunfire and hid under an SUV.  She was rescued by a sheriff's department tactical team.

The suspect barricaded himself inside the house, but negotiators reached him by phone and talked him into surrendering around 8:30 p.m.

Both the suspect and Sgt. Maltbie were taken to Memorial Medical Center in Ludington.  According to doctors, Maltbie was alert and in good spirits.  Maltbie was flown by Aero Med to a Grand Rapids hospital for evaluation.  The suspect also suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett says he feels fortunate Sgt. Maltbie's injuries weren't any worse.

"This is not a large community, and we all know each other, depend on each other," said Barnett. "To say glad, I don't want to use the word glad, I'm speaking personally. It's an unfortunate situation. We feel very fortunate that these officers were protected, that everyone in this incident was protected, and that the subject, the suspect was arrested without further incident."

Michigan State Police are conducting the investigation into the shooting.

Firefighters blocked off a few streets surrounding the home until early Wednesday morning.