Grafton police identify man who took his life during "shots fired" incident at Hampton Inn

GRAFTON -- Grafton police on Thursday, May 12th identified a 38-year-old man who took his own life during a "shots fired" incident at the Hampton Inn on Wednesday night.

The man has been identified as Michael Kennedy of South Milwaukee.

Police were called out to the Hampton Inn around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday -- after officers located a vehicle being driven by a man involved in an altercation earlier Wednesday in Saukville.

Saukville police said just after 4:00 p.m., they received a call regarding a burglary and subsequent false imprisonment of a female victim.

Officers had reason to believe a male suspect broke into the female victim's home and removed her at gunpoint -- forcing her to drive him around. She was later released by the suspect, unharmed -- and contacted police.

The suspect vehicle was located in the Hampton Inn parking lot -- at 2633 Washington Street in Grafton.

PHOTO GALLERY



"We saw cops sprinting down the hallways. That was the point where were were like, we have to get out of here," a hotel guest said.

Officers with the Grafton Police Department and the Saukville Police Department attempted to make contact with Kennedy inside the Hampton Inn.

When officers entered the room, two shots were fired -- both by Kennedy, who had locked himself in a third-floor hotel room bathroom.

"The shots being fired in a hotel full of people, fully booked, the officers showed great courage and diligence to control the scene," said Captain Joseph Gabrish with the Village of Grafton Police Department.

Officers secured the area and began evacuating the building and activated the Ozaukee County Special Response Team.

Attempts were made to establish contact with Kennedy.

Around 10:00 p.m., after all attempts at establishing contact with Kennedy failed, and no movement was detected in the room, members of the Ozaukee County SRT made entry to the room.

Kennedy was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"They did an autopsy on the individual and subsequent investigation from that reveals that the subject shot himself twice. That's why we always follow up on these investigations to the nth degree. This is an unfortunate situation for him and his family and for anybody that he knows, but we are at least thankful no one else was hurt," said Gabrish.

Officials with the Washington County Sheriff's Office say Kennedy was already on the radar for a trespassing incident on Tuesday, May 10th.

Authorities say he had a history of mental illness.