Grand Rapids police have arrested a person they say was involved a Monday evening homicide.
23-year-old Anthony Dequan Tompkins was found shot to death on the sidewalk of Sweet Street near Diamond Avenue NE around 10 p.m. Monday. An autopsy is scheduled, but police said Tompkins was shot one time.
The suspect in Tompkins' death is 18-year-old Ali Sharif Gray,
jail records show. Officers spotted a suspicious person in the area of Jefferson Avenue and Cherry Street SE Tuesday morning, according to GPRD Chief Kevin Belk in a Tuesday afternoon press conference. They attempted to make contact with him in a parking lot when he ducked down between cars. They also recovered a handgun nearby.
Police arrested the man. They soon determined he was responsible for Tompkins' death, Belk said.
Gray was lodged in the Kent County jail pending arraignment of charges of open murder, carrying a concealed weapon and an unrelated armed robbery,Belk said. Arraignment is expected to happen Wednesday.
Authorities say Gray is a friend or acquaintance of Tompkins who went to his home Monday evening under the guise of their friendship, Belk said, and later lured Tompkins outside to Sweet Street and shot him.
"I believe the individuals involved have gang relationships," said Belk. "This isn't an incident where these are rival gang members. This is someone he would have welcomed into his home as recently as last evening."
Belk would not yet provide specifics on a motive.
"Suffice it to say, it wasn't significant enough to result in a homicide," he said.
The investigation continues, Belk said.
"There are other people we want to talk with regarding this," Belk said. "But at this point we believe we have identified the person responsible for the shooting, and that the weapon we believe was involved in last night's homicide, at this point, we believe has been recovered."
Police were originally called to the area of Jefferson Avenue and Cherry Street SE for a tip connected to the murders of David and Vivian Bouwman of Kentwood, Belk said.
"Though some divine intervention, we were brought to that location and identified this individual very quickly," Belk said.
The victim's mother, who said Tompkins was her only child, came to the scene early Tuesday looking for any information about the shooting that killed her son. She said she can't bear the thought of having to plan his funeral.
Tompkins' death appears to be the ninth homicide in Grand Rapids since Dec. 14, 2012. Three were domestic incidents.Five others remain unsolved.
Police are still investigating whether Gray was involved in any of the other homicides.
"At this point, the only thing he is being charged with, that he is being lodged on, is the incident last night involving Anthony Tompkins," Belk said.
As police have often done, Belk urged residents to help authorities in their investigations.
"If there are individuals that have information, I cannot stress enough the importance of coming forward," Belk said. "I would encourage people to call Silent Observer or the Grand Rapids Police Department with information on this matter or any of the other homicides."
He said police continue to investigate the recent homicides and that they do have leads.
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