Michigan Representative Dan Kildee's brother Timothy killed in altercation, sheriff says

Timothy Kildee, the 59-year-old brother of U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan, was killed early Tuesday morning, authorities said, in a violent altercation with a family member believed to be his son.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who held a news conference on Tuesday afternoon on Facebook Live, said the suspect was hospitalized and his name would not be released pending charges being filed, likely Wednesday.

Kildee, a well-known politician who announced he wouldn't be running for another term this year following a bout with cancer, issued a statement saying, "Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy."

The congressman went on to ask the public to honor his family's privacy.

Swanson, in his news conference, described a "tale of violence" that unraveled during the early morning hours Tuesday, though several details, including the names of many of those involved and their relationship, if any, with each other, were still unrevealed. The only suspect, however, was in custody, Swanson said, though he was hospitalized after a car crash following Timothy Kildee's death, which was believed to be by gunshot.

The events involved several different and apparently unrelated locations, beginning with a call at 2:30 a.m. to police in Burton, east of Flint, for what was believed to be a domestic incident. As that was in progress, a 27-year-old man, a relative of someone involved in the incident — and the suspect who authorities believe killed Timothy Kildee — went to the house in Burton. At that time, there was what Swanson called "a verbal confrontation" that led to a firearm being shown.

Police were then notified and the 27-year-old fled, making contact with his mother, who was also described as Timothy Kildee's ex-wife. Shortly after 5 a.m., Swanson said the woman picked up the man and was taking him to the Vienna Township home of Timothy Kildee — who was described as the 27-year-old's father — north of Flint when he jumped out of the moving vehicle.

After that, both Timothy Kildee and the woman contacted authorities; another son living in the basement of his residence said Timothy Kildee left to go find the other man, Swanson said. Then, a short while later, the son in the residence heard Timothy Kildee return and a confrontation ensued.

Swanson said the other son heard "a yelling match," followed by a demand for Timothy Kildee's wallet and car keys. Then, the sheriff said, the other son heard a single gunshot fired.

Some eight minutes later, the suspect was involved in a "high-impact crash" with a pickup in Genesee Township and transferred to Hurley Medical Center, Swanson said.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who appeared at the news conference with Swanson, said charges hadn't yet been filed, but he expects that, based on the facts as he knew them, there could be counts of murder, carjacking, armed robbery, and using a firearm in the commission of a robbery, among others.

Swanson added that while a motive was not immediately known, the early investigation showed "a pattern" and that his behavior may have involved a "breakdown" or "other entanglements which caused him to be so violent."

Rep. Kildee has represented the area in Congress since 2013, when his uncle, the late Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, stepped down. A Kildee has represented the region in the U.S. House for 36 years.

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee's brother Tim killed in altercation