SPRINGPORT TWP., Mich (WLNS) – It was a crime that woke up the Springport Township neighborhood just before 7:00 a.m.
Two people were dead after what police say was a quickly unfolding situation.
“Potentially some sort of theft going on at that point,” said Springport Township Police chief David Luce. “There was a confrontation with the victim that did turn deadly.”
Police say Matthew McMillen and Hunter Lentz, both 18 years old and from Jackson, were gunned down after a botched theft.
And they say someone who lived in the house pulled the trigger.
It’s not clear what the shooting victims were trying to do but what seems clear is that this rural part of Jackson County isn’t used to this.
Neighbors wouldn’t go on camera but they say they were scared when the shots went out and shocked that it happened.
The police chief feels the same way “no, I’ve been here 4 and a half years and this is the first fatal shooting that we’ve had since I’ve been part of that department in that area.”
Though police also say there have been issues with people breaking and entering into homes in the township recently.
“Our departments haven’t really handled anything more than those in the last couple months out there. We haven’t had a real rash of them. We have had a couple. We’re still trying to determine it.”
As of now, police don’t know if the victims were related to those previous crimes. The investigation is still ongoing and police say they questioned two people, but nobody has been arrested.
