BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – The big manhunt story in southwest Branch County from over the weekend has been sorted out today. 3 of the 4 men who were chased down were released without being arrested while the fourth person was turned over to St. Joseph County authorities on outstanding warrants on weapons charges. The manhunt lasted nearly 18 hours.
Michigan State Police believed the subjects might have included a suspect wanted for a stabbing incident last Wednesday in Sturgis. However, Vladmir S. Cofield, Sr. wasn’t arrested in the manhunt and remains at large and State Police say the 4 men were not in any way connected to the crime in Sturgis.
The manhunt was sparked by a report of gunshots around 1 p.m. Saturday in the area of Round Lake and Hedgecock Roads in Branch County’s Noble Township. However, when troopers arrived, the four men fled into nearby woods and a K-9 unit and an MSP helicopter were called in to assist in the search. Two of the subjects, from Sturgis and Tekonsha, were located Saturday and questioned with the Sturgis man then turned over to St. Joseph County. The other two, from Kalamazoo and Sturgis, were found Sunday morning in the same general area along Fawn River Road around 7:30 a.m. but let go after being questioned.
Ten officers from the Branch County Sheriff’s Department as well as Bronson City Police and the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department worked with the State Police in the search operation.
Sturgis Police have released few details concerning the incident last week which resulted in their listing of Cofield as a subject wanted for attempted murder.
