Police officer shot in Monroe Co.

Gunman later shot himself

A South Rockwood police officer was shot earlier this morning around 10:00 a.m. He was taken by air ambulance to a the University of Michigan hospital, but is expected to be released tomorrow.

Detectives tell us the suspect, Eugene Anderson, was sitting down on a chair in his driveway when he motioned for officers to come closer. He then shot and hit Officer Thomas Murphy, all while sitting in the chair.

Anderson then went back in his house. Right after he went in, the officers heard additional shots. But nobody knew if the man was alive. So for hours it was a tense scene. Neighbors kept away, while detectives tried to talk to the shooter.

We're told the SWAT team eventually saw Anderson on the ground and went in. He apparently had shot himself in the face.

South Rockwood is a small community in northern Monroe County with a population of 2,000. Choppers and SWAT teams swarmed the area near the shooting for hours keeping neighbors on high alert.

13abc talked with a neighbor who says he knew the alleged shooter and helped the injured officer. Charles Roberts lives two doors down from the man he knows as Gene. He says Gene rented the home from another neighbor for the past five years.

Charles says Gene had financial troubles and had lost some money in stocks and real estate investments. He thinks his neighbor was about 50 years old and lived alone. This morning, Charles says he let his dog out. The dog freaked out at the sound of gunshots and that's when Charles knew something was very wrong.

He heard shots and saw Officer Murphy bleeding. He says, "You could see he was hit and I yelled out the window, 'You need a hand?' He says yes, so I ran around and a couple officers helped him to the car and they got him to the hospital."

Anderson, 56, has been charged with assault with intent to murder.

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