Details in Clio double fatal shooting, suspect's death released

Authorities have released the name of the Clio man fatally shot this week by Genesee County Sheriff's deputies and officers following a deadly incident at an apartment building.

Officials also released the names of his victims, Ron Tatro, 31, and Kasi Ane Gipe, 51.

Eric Adam Bennett, 28, was the suspect who was shot and killed Tuesday, Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson said in a news conference Thursday.

Swanson was joined at the conference by Clio Police Chief Wendel Millstead. They released further details about the incident.

The incident began when police were called at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to an apartment building in the 600 block of North Mill Street near Field Road in Clio for a report of shots fired and a domestic dispute.

Investigators learned there had been an argument earlier in the day between Bennett and his partner, Tatro, at the apartment building where the shooting happened, but police weren't called, the sheriff said.

He said the fight escalated until the suspect killed the victims with a shotgun.

"The suspect, Eric Bennett, had a shotgun and as one of the victims was on the phone with his mother, he took his life, he shot him multiple times," Swanson said.

He added investigators believe after the initial fight, Tatro locked Bennett out of the apartment and the suspect fired multiple rounds into the door and broke glass before he killed him. Gipe, who lived in the same building as Bennett and Tatro, was also a friend of theirs, the sheriff said.

Gipe had gone to the scene to find out what was happening when she was shot and killed, officials said Thursday.

Swanson said a Clio police officer arrived at the scene of the shooting first and sheriff's deputies arrived a minute or two later. They found the armed suspect standing in the middle of the road, he said.

Authorities ordered Bennett to drop his weapon but he refused to comply and fired at them multiple times, the sheriff said.

Michigan State Police crime lab technicians recovered 13 shotgun shells at the scene, Swanson said.

"Bennett argued with officers and told them to 'take the shot,'" he said. Police tried to de-escalate the situation until the suspect pointed his weapon at officers and they defended themselves. Swanson said the incident lasted about eight minutes.

Officials Thursday also released police body camera footage of the encounter, an image of Bennett pointing his shotgun at police.

The sheriff said Gipe's family asked his office not to release a photograph of her to the media.

Millstead commended his officer and the deputies for their courage and dedication. He said the police officer is on paid administrative leave, according to the department's protocol for officer-involved shootings.

Swanson said the three deputies involved in the shooting are also on paid leave.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

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