MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. - Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson persuaded a Muskegon County District Judge Tuesday to allow an assault with intent to do great bodily harm charge against 21-year-old Dayvon Davis to be increased to assault with intent to murder.
Davis is suspected of shooting Muskegon Height Police Officer Robert Kooi in the arm on July 6 at the East Park Manor housing complex in Muskegon Heights.
At a preliminary hearing, Michigan State Police Detective Jason Hartman testified he reviewed video from approximately 30 surveillance cameras placed around East Park Manor. One shows what appears to be a man pulling a gun from his pants and firing a single shot. A subject, identified by Hartman as Officer Kooi, then falls to the ground. Seconds later, other Muskegon Heights officers arrive to assist Kooi.
Detective Hartman says the man seen pulling the gun from his pants and running from the scene is Davis.
Officer Kooi testified he went to East Park Manor after an Uber driver reported a man involved in a shooting in Muskegon Heights earlier on July 6 was among a group of men standing between two apartments buildings.
Kooi says as he approached the group, one of the men, whom he identified in court at Davis, was in the process of changing clothes.
"I saw him standing next to a red car putting a white t-shirt on," Kooi said.
Surveillance video shown in court shows the subject taking a few steps away from the group of men and Kooi.
"His right hand goes from his side waist to in front of his pants," Kooi said.
A second later, a single shot hit Kooi in the arm and he fell to the ground as the subject ran.
"The bullet traveled straight through my arm and exited out of my triceps," Kooi said.
Following the preliminary hearing in Muskegon County, District Court Judge Maria Ladas Hoopes granted the prosecutions’ request to increase the main and most significant felony Davis is charged with to assault with intent to murder.
Davis was arrested 11 days after the shooting in Fruitport Township. Police say he was found inside a car with a 9-millimeter pistol, bullets and wearing body armor.
As a 17-year-old, Davis was convicted of several felonies after he took a sawed-off shotgun into the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy.
The charges against Davis now move to Muskegon County Circuit Court for a possible trial.
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