Impressive footage captured by police body cameras shows the shocking moment when a fleeing suspect in Michigan jumped into the Kalamazoo River during a desperate attempt to escape the police after a routine traffic stop.
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The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed according to the Kalamazoo police report, did not resurface.
The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Officers attempted to stop the man, who was on a motorcycle, for a “license plate violation,” leading to a pursuit through the city streets. The chase came to an abrupt end when the suspect’s motorcycle broke down, forcing him to continue his escape on foot.
Wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants, and white sneakers, the suspect was seen running through a local park and over a pedestrian bridge, with police in pursuit. In a moment of desperation, he decided to jump into the Kalamazoo River in an attempt to escape by swimming. The officers pursuing him shouted for him to stop, but he continued, attempting to swim away.
According to the police statement in a Facebook post, “the river’s current carried him downstream, and the officers observed the suspect submerge and not resurface.” The search for the man continues, but hopes diminish as time passes.
Photos and video: Reproduction from Facebook KalamazooPublicSafety