Timothy Kildee, the brother of Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee, was fatally shot after a domestic disturbance, according to authorities.
“Our family is mourning and heartbroken. “There are no words to express the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy,” Mr Kildee said on Tuesday.
The Michigan Democrat has served in Congress since 2013.
“I thank the community for honoring my family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” he said in a statement.
Timothy Kildee was slain in Vienna Township, northwest of Detroit, early on March 19, according to Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
On Tuesday, just before 3 a.m., the sheriff’s office was summoned to a domestic dispute in Burton. Sheriff Swanson stated that the suspect, 27, was a family member who came over to the house, where a verbal altercation occurred and a pistol was displayed.
According to the sheriff, the suspect then left the house on foot to locate his birth mother. Between the original incident and 5 a.m., the mother gathered her son and drove him to his father’s – Timothy Kildee, 57 – house in Vienna Township.
However, the suspect exited the vehicle while it was in motion, leading the mother to phone Mr Kildee, and the two went to find their kid. Sheriff Swanson told WNEM that another son was staying in the basement of the Vienna Township residence.
The second son reported hearing a loud argument, with the suspect demanding, “Give me your wallet and keys.” The wallet was later discovered on the suspect, the sheriff stated.
The son who was in the basement reported hearing a single gunshot during the argument. According to Sheriff Swanson, Mr Kildee died as a result of the gunshot.
The culprit reportedly took Mr Kildee’s automobile and smashed into another vehicle at high speeds within eight minutes. The other motorist was not critically harmed, but the suspect is now being held in Hurley Hospital with a guard.
The sheriff claimed there were no other suspects.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton informed WNEM that no charges have been filed yet.
However, he stated that if the prosecutor’s office were to “apply the law to the facts as we know them presently,” the suspect could face charges such as open murder, carjacking, armed robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, and a motor vehicle violation.