Two people were shot and injured during a baby shower at a rented Girl Scouts building in Kalamazoo on Sunday afternoon, and the suspected shooter was found hiding in a closet inside the facility.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded after 5:30 p.m. to a shooting at the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Kalamazoo Regional Program and Training Center on West Maple Street. Dozens of officers and at least one ambulance were on the scene.
Two 25-year-old men were struck by gunfire. Both men suffered non-life-threatening injuries. One victim has since been released while the other remains in stable condition at the hospital.
A 22-year-old Kalamazoo man, Pharrell Norman Stacy, was arrested in connection to the shooting. KDPS officers found Stacy hiding inside a lower-level closet in the building after the shooting occurred. Investigators also found a firearm at the scene.
Judge Richard Santoni described the allegations in court, saying Stacy is accused of shooting two people inside the Girl Scouts training center. The victims have been identified as Tyrone Lewis Jr. and Devon Brown, both 25.
Santoni said he could not imagine anything more dangerous to the community when he read the details of the incident during the arraignment.
Stacy was arraigned Monday on six felony charges, including:
- Two counts of assault with intent to murder
- Three counts of felony firearm
- One count of discharging a firearm in a building causing injury
The judge set bail at $100,000 cash and ordered conditions including no contact with the victims and no possession of weapons. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 30, with a conference set for April 23.
The building was being rented out at the time for a private baby shower. It is not yet clear who organized the event or what screening or security measures were required before the space was used.
KDPS said they found a 25-year-old man outside the main entrance who had been shot in both legs. A second 25-year-old man was located inside the building with gunshot wounds to his chest and lower body.
'It's usually pretty peaceful,' said Lawrence Wise, a resident who likes to take walks in the area.
Other residents said the incident reflects broader concerns about gun violence in the community.
'We have so many mass shootings in this country,' said Tom Kopinski, a Kalamazoo resident. 'Kalamazoo is not immune to those things, so it's very unfortunate when it happens and it needs to be addressed.'
Some residents questioned where responsibility should fall when private events are held in community spaces.
'I don't think the burden should be on these places that rent things out to have to frisk everybody going in the door,' Kopinski said. 'They're lovely spaces that should be utilized by the community.'
Court records show Stacy has a prior 2022 assault and battery charge, along with several misdemeanor traffic offenses.
As of Monday, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan said no Girl Scout members or staff were harmed during the incident. The organization will resume regular business hours and operations on Tuesday, April 14.
They have not released details about whether surveillance cameras were in use at the facility, what security policies were in place for rentals, or whether any changes are being considered moving forward.
Cradle Kalamazoo, who hosted a different event at the Girl Scouts building earlier in the day, released a statement clarifying that while they hosted an event at the location, the shooting did not occur during their event and none of their participants were involved.
The building is being secured pending the ongoing police investigation.