KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich — Saginaw Township Officer Jeff Koenig has been airlifted to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor for continued treatment.
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The suspect in Tuesday's officer shooting has been shot and captured in Shiawassee County.
The man was running from police after they said he shot a Saginaw Township police officer during a traffic stop overnight.
"This is what we train for and I'm thankful that my detective was not injured and we're glad to bring this to a close before any innocent person was hurt or killed," said Shiawassee County Sheriff Brian BeGole.
Shortly after the Michigan State Police released the name and picture of a man they were looking for in connection with the shooting of the police officer early on Tuesday morning, police were on the chase after the man was spotted in the area of Interstate 69 and Lansing Road.
They were after 29-year-old Joshua Rosebush, of Vassar, a parole absconder who was armed and dangerous.
He was driving a stolen 2013 Ford 250 pickup truck with A.I.S. Construction printed on the side when he left the scene. It was abandoned outside the Home Depot on Corunna Road in Flint Township.
"The vehicle that the officer stopped turned out to be a stolen vehicle. The suspect fled the scene, traveled a short distance and dumped that vehicle and stole a second vehicle," Lt. Jim Lang of the Michigan State Police said in an early afternoon news conference.
The other vehicle was a white commercial van that he stole at the Speedway gas station on Bristol Road at 1-475 in Burton.
The Saginaw Township officer, Jeff Koenig, was hospitalized after being shot during the traffic stop with Rosebush.
Saginaw Township Police Chief Don Pussehl said that Officer Koenig stopped Rosebush at about 2 a.m. Tuesday in Saginaw County's Kochville Township.
Pussehl said the driver shot the officer in the face and shoulder as he approached the vehicle.
Pussehl said that police were then searching for Rosebush, who fled the scene.
Koenig is a 16-year veteran of the Saginaw Township force.
He remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
"It's an unfortunate day here in Saginaw Township where we had an officer, conducting a traffic stop this morning, who was shot while conducting that traffic stop. I am pleased to report that the officer is doing better, still in critical condition but he has stabilized and he is currently at a local hospital and anticipate that this afternoon he will be flown to University of Michigan hospital for further treatment," Pussehl said in a news conference.
Police asked drivers to avoid the area where the shooting took place, about 85 miles northwest of Detroit.
The chief also says that this is the first time in department history that an officer was shot during a traffic stop.
According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, Rosebush has a long criminal history, including prison sentences for assaulting or obstructing police officers.
Just after 1 p.m., Rosebush was spotted in the area of Woodbury and Lansing roads in Shiawassee County.
There was a vehicle pursuit and police say Rosebush fired at them, causing them to return fire and injure the suspect.
Michigan State Police Bay Region reported that Rosebush is in custody around 1:15 p.m. in Woodhull Township, near Laingsburg.
We are thankful that no one else was seriously injured. A successful cooperative effort between our local, state and federal partners. Your public safety officers have been working this case throughout the night and all day, and will need to continue investigating into the night. pic.twitter.com/VMsyuGkypn
— MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) January 22, 2019
UPDATE 4
JOSHUA MICHAEL ROSEBUSH IS IN CUSTODY.
ROSEBUSH was taken into custody after a brief vehicle pursuit in Shiawassee County. ROSEBUSH fired on officers, they returned fire injuring ROSEBUSH. No officers were injured, ROSEBUSH was transported to a hospital for treatment. pic.twitter.com/7kFa9ojbXa
— MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) January 22, 2019
UPDATE 3.
HAVE YOU SEEN ME!?
ARMED & DANGEROUS
JOSHUA MICHAEL ROSEBUSH was last seen in the area of Corunna Rd. and Linden Rd. In Flint Twp. Genesee County at approximately 8:00am this morning.
Please call 855-MICHTIP with information. pic.twitter.com/c0NqETCXdN
— MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) January 22, 2019
UPDATE 2
Stolen vehicle 2013 FORD SUPER DUTY has been recovered. Michigan registration plate DB-60703, AIS Construction. JOSHUA MICHAEL ROSEBUSH has NOT been located. We are still looking for him, he is ARMED & DANGEROUS, call 855-MICHTIP! pic.twitter.com/P67hf8XJ1f
— MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) January 22, 2019
FOLLOW-UP ***ATTENTION***
Additional information
In the shooting off Saginaw Township Officer. We are attempting to locate JOSHUA MICHAEL ROSEBUSH, 29 years of age. Driving STOLEN vehicle, 2013 Ford Super duty, See photos. Please call 855-MICHTIP.
ARMED & DANGEROUS pic.twitter.com/0itGuj9hC9
— MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) January 22, 2019
