BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — In the early hours Tuesday morning, the Battle Creek Police and Fire departments, along with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department, responded to reports of gunfire and a house fire on Piper Avenue.
Police arrived at the home to find a still smoldering Molotov cocktail on the front porch of the home. The resident of the home told police that the smoldering bottle on his porch was not the first one that had been thrown at his home that night.
Police said the suspect had thrown the first one shortly after midnight. However, the first one failed to ignite and went unreported. The suspect then returned to the home about two hours later to throw a second one. In response to the second attack the resident, who is a legal gun owner, fired several shots at the suspect and called police.
Police said that the suspect had not been hit by any gunfire and returned to the scene again around 3 a.m. At this point, police were still on scene and saw him driving past. They pulled over the 26-year-old Battle Creek man without incident.
The man was arrested for arson and five counts of assault with intent to murder. The family. who was inside the home at the time of the attacks, did not report any injuries. Police said damage to the front entryway of the home was minor.
Police said they believe the attacks were isolated and targeted.
