Lansing police investigating two homicides early Sunday morning; two others injured

LANSING — Two men died and two other people were hospitalized early Sunday morning following incidents that police are investigating as a pair of homicides.

The incidents — one a shooting in which one man died and two people were hospitalized, and the other a hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian — happened within an hour of one another, according to two press releases from the Lansing Police Department.

Police have not yet released the identities of the two people who died. The two incidents were not related, Assistant Chief Robert Backus said in an email.

Officers took two individuals, one person related to each case, into custody, and have called them suspects. Police believe "altercations" preceded both incidents.

300 block of City Market Drive

At about 3:05 a.m., police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of City Market Drive, near Rotary Park, after reports of a shooting. When they arrived, the release said, they found a 42-year-old man with a gunshot wound.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shortly afterward, two other people with gunshot wounds were reported at a nearby hospital — a 37-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man. Both people were shot multiple times, but are listed in stable condition and are expected to survive, the release said.

"Police do not yet know all the details surrounding the incident, however, it is believed the victims were not random targets based on preliminary information which suggests an altercation took place prior to the shooting," the release said.

1200 block of Shepard Street

Then, about 3:51 a.m., according to a second press release, officers received reports of a man who had been struck by a car in the 1200 block of Shepard Street — several blocks west of North Aurelius Road.

Police said they arrived to find the man, 30, with "serious injuries." He was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died.

At the scene, officers were located the vehicle they believe struck the 30-year-old. They also “learned the accused driver fled from the scene on foot,” per the release.

“Lansing Police K9 officers tracked the accused and located him a short distance from the scene. Officers were able to take the accused into custody without further incident,” the release said.

Investigators believe the 30-year-old and the suspect, in addition to other people, had a verbal altercation prior to the alleged attack. They are investigating the incident as an intentional act.

"The victim and accused were known to each other and became involved in an argument at the house which escalated during the visit," Backus said in an email.

Police are investigating both cases as homicides. They ask anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact them at 517-483-4600, or Detective Lt. Ryan Wilcox at 517-483-6845.

Contact reporter Jared Weber at 517-582-3937 or jtweber@lsj.com.