MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — UPDATE, 9:45 p.m: The suspect in Sunday morning's fatal shooting on Mona Street is in custody, according to Muskegon Heights Police Chief Joseph Thomas.
Law enforcement said the woman was shot four times following a dispute with her husband.
Thomas said police served two search warrants, one in Muskegon and one in the city of Muskegon Heights. The suspect was arrested in Muskegon.
ORIGINAL STORY, 4 p.m: A woman was shot and killed early Sunday morning in Muskegon Heights in what Police Chief Joseph Thomas said was a domestic dispute. She was allegedly killed by her husband.
The shooting took place at a home on the 3100 block of Mona Street. The couple has not been identified, but police said they are in their 40s and 50s.
Around 3 a.m. the couple got into a verbal argument about smoking, Thomas said. They reportedly promised each other they would stop smoking, but got into a fight about it.
The husband got upset, according to police, packed his things and moved out. However, he came back around 6:40 a.m., kicked the door in and shot his wife four times in the torso, according to officials.
Thomas said his officers were already on their way to the house when they got the call about the woman being shot.
"We know who did it and we are going to be dogmatic in the pursuit of justice," he said.
The police chief said a shooting like this is not random, but was a domestic situation.
"This is a sad situation," said Thomas. "And this could have been avoided."
Police Chief Thomas said this shooting is an example of the incidents his department is taking steps to prevent.
At the beginning of May, the Muskegon Heights Police Department received a $10,000 grant from the Muskegon County Foundation to "take a non-traditional approach to gun violence and domestic violence," Thomas said.
The grant will be used to work alongside Michigan State Police to address gun and domestic violence.
"We realized this is socioeconomic thing," said Thomas. "We want to educate the public about where gun violence happens."
These issues are not only in Muskegon Heights, Thomas said, but they are medical, mental, social and economic problems that the nation is dealing with. In order to address these issues, he said it requires a shift in policing that works with the community to change their behaviors.
"Our job is to change the culture and behavior of the people," said Thomas. "The bottom line is we are trying to address this issue."
Law enforcement must take a different role, the police chief said, being teachers in the community who demonstrate how to love and care for friends and family.
"You don't have to kill someone," he said.
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