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Two people dead after car jacking in Michigan

One victim was killed and another injured in a robbery and carjacking in early September. Ohio authorities said they captured two suspects after a chase later.

MONROE, Mich. — UPDATE: The following story has been edited to include dash and body camera video released by Ohio State Highway Patrol from the Sept. 2 pursuit. 

Two suspects in a deadly Monroe, Mich., carjacking were captured late Saturday in Hancock County, Ohio, after a chase by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers.

Ronnie L. Oliver, 44, of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Stephen M. Jones Jr., 29,  of Monroe, Mich. were captured after a chase that ended in Hancock County, Ohio, and involved troopers firing at the pair, the patrol said in a statement.

The incident began at the Highlander Market in the 1000 block of East Front Street in Monroe, where police said two men robbed the market and then carjacked a vehicle just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

According to a report released Sunday afternoon, Monroe Police said two suspects went into the market, displayed a weapon and left with an undisclosed amount of money.

Once outside the market, the two ordered the occupants of the blue Ford F-150 parked outside the store to get out of their vehicle. Police also said the suspects also fired a shot at a witness standing near the truck. No one was struck or injured in the shooting, police said.

The occupants of the truck got out of the vehicle, which is when the suspects shot both of them before fleeing south in the stolen truck, police said.

Dash cam and body cam video provided by Ohio State Highway Patrol is included below: 

One of the people shot was Michael Ronald Beck Jr., of Monroe, who died of his injuries. The second person shot and wounded is a 34-year-old whom police have not identified. Information on this person's condition was not available Sunday.

A GoFundMe was set up for Beck to help pay for funeral expenses.

After the robbery, carjacking and shooting, information from the public allowed officers investigating the case to identify the suspects, according to the report.

Around 7:40 p.m., Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers stationed in Bowling Green, along with deputies from the Wood County Sheriff's Office, saw the vehicle and suspects wanted in connection with the Monroe carjacking at a rest stop near Bowling Green.

When troopers and deputies approached the vehicle, the suspects fled south on I-75, according to a report from the patrol.

According to the report, the suspects shot at pursuing officers multiple times during the pursuit and troopers returned fire.

The pursuit continued southbound on I-75 into Hancock County and exited onto state Route 15. As the suspect vehicle was approaching Township Road 240, it then went off the right side of the roadway and struck a ditch, the patrol said.

Credit: Scanner Media
Aftermath of police pursuit and crash in Hancock County on Saturday night. (Photo courtesy: Scanner Media)

After the crash, troopers ordered the suspects to exit the vehicle. After some time, according to the patrol, the passenger, Oliver, exited the vehicle and the driver, Jones, also was taken into custody. 

Oliver was taken to a local hospital to be checked out before he was taken to the Hancock County jail.

Oliver was charged with Failure to Comply with Order or Signal, Felonious Assault, and Attempt in relation to the pursuit. Monroe police did not release the charges for the incident in Monroe.

Credit: Hancock County

Jones was taken by helicopter to a hospital for treatment of what the patrol called serious injuries. It was unclear the nature of these injuries and no information on his condition was available Sunday.

Because officers fired at the suspects the incident is under investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Credit: WTOL

A previous version of this story reported that the second victim at the market had died. The information was based on a post on the Monroe Public Safety Department Twitter page in which they said they had received "bad information".

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