The brother of a Michigan Democrat has died after being shot at his home by a suspect who has been named as his son.
Rep. Kildee’s brother, Timothy Kildee, 57, died from a gunshot wound in Vienna Township, Michigan, following an incident believed to have involved his own son.
It is alleged the 27-year-old shot his dad following a heated exchange in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson says his office was called about 3am on Tuesday morning about an incident in Burton.
At that time, a gun was pulled out during a verbal confrontation and the suspect left the home on foot and contacted his birth mom.
Michigan Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee’s brother was killed by a suspect who is believed to be his son and the congressman’s nephew after an altercation early Tuesday morning
Rep. Kildee’s brother, Timothy Kildee, 57, second from right, was shot and killed in his home in Vienna Township, Michigan
Timothy Kildee’s crashed vehicle was found near an intersection
While police were responding to the shooting scene in Vienna Township, reports of a serious crash came in at the intersection of Bray and Stanley roads in Genesee Township
She picked him up at some point before 5am and took him to a Vienna township home where Timothy lived with another son who was sleeping in the basement.
Another confrontation erupted which lead a gunshot being heard by the son downstairs.
Timothy Kildee’s vehicle and wallet was stolen by the suspect but just eight minutes later a high-impact car crash occurred at the intersection of E. Stanley Road and N. Bray Road in Genesee Township.
The suspect suffered serious injuries and they are now recovering at Hurley Medical Center under the watch of sheriff’s deputies.
‘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,’ Congressman Dan Kildee said in a statement.
‘I thank the community for honoring my family’s privacy during this very difficult time.’
‘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,’ Congressman Dan Kildee said in a statement
Dan Kildee, second from left and Timothy Kildee, third from left, with their siblings are pictured above
Kildee siblings are pictured with their mother. The late Timothy Kildee is second from right
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson speaks alongside Genesee County Prosector David Leyton during a press conference on Tuesday about the shooting
Charges are still pending, but Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said if the prosecutor’s office were to ‘apply the law to the facts as we know them presently,’ the suspect could be looking at counts of open murder, carjacking, armed robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, and a motor vehicle infraction due to the crash.
Rep. Kildee, 65, has been in Congress since 2013. His uncle Dale Kildee was also in Congress and the younger Kildee was at one point one of the nation’s youngest elected officials when at 18 he began serving on the Flint Board of Education in 1977.
In March 2023 he announced he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, saying that a ‘very small tumor’ had been found in one of his tonsils, but he underwent surgery and has said he is since ‘cancer-free.’
But he said the health challenged prompted him to ‘reassess’ his future.
‘After spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren and contemplating our future, the time has come for me to step back from public office,’ Kildee said. ‘Running for office, ultimately, is a personal decision first. And this was not an easy decision to make. But I know it’s the right one for me and for my family.’