GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Police detectives announced an arrest from a shooting earlier this month.
Edwin Junior Meyer, 29, is now facing assault with intent to murder and firearm charges, GRPD said Tuesday. The man was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but police said he is now expected to fully recover.
Detectives from the Major Case Team linked him with a shooting on April 18 on Clancy Avenue where a man was found shot near the railroad tracks.
According to court documents filed in the case, the two men were strangers. Investigators believe the two didn't know each other, and this started as just two people passing each other on the street.
The violence stemmed from a verbal confrontation that the victim recorded on his cellphone.
After the dispute, the suspect left the area with his dog. He came back a few minutes later without his dog, court documents detail.
This time, he had a gun.
Investigators were able to identify Meyer using that cellphone video.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom spoke with 13 ON YOUR SIDE after the incident.
Winstrom said the location of the shooting is different from what he is used to seeing, and it's a location he does not spend a lot of time at.
"What we do know is that two individuals, both adult males, appeared to be in some sort of altercation," Winstrom said at the time.
“This victim survived in large part due to the quick actions of first responders in providing immediate aid,” said Winstrom in a statement after charges were filed. “I commend the Major Case Team for their work to identify this suspect and bring him to justice.”
At the time of the shooting, Winstrom also commended neighbors in the community who came out to speak with police to share what they had seen and heard.
"I think we've, we're in a much better place as a city in Grand Rapids that when something like this happens, the community comes out, they're looking to cooperate, they're looking to give us information, because the neighbors are saying to us, we're not going to tolerate this," said Winstrom.
"It is heartening for me to know, especially as we're moving into the warmer months and traditionally, that's when crime increases. To know that the city of Grand Rapids is really as a whole, all the neighbors are standing up and saying we're not going to tolerate any sort of violence," said Winstrom.
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