The 22-year-old Upper Peninsula man who apparently committed suicide Monday after confessing to running over an 80-year-old man putting a Trump sign up in his yard has been identified by Hancock police as Joshua Kemppainen, of Quincy Township.
Police say Kemppainen, who previously had no run-ins with law enforcement, died Monday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Members of Kemppainen's family and neighbors could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
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Hancock police were assisted by the FBI-Marquette field office, Michigan State Police and the Houghton Police Department in the case, which drew national headlines.
The victim of the attack was hospitalized and in critical condition. On Thursday, Hancock police said he was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
A politically charged spree
According to a news release from Hancock Chief of Police Tami Sleeman, Kemppainen was caught on camera during the spree intentionally vandalizing cars displaying a right-wing political orientation.
The Hancock Police Department said Kemppainen called Monday and said he would like to "confess a crime involving an ATV driver within the last 24 hours." He instructed police to his residence in Quincy Township to pick him up. By the time they arrived, he was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A day before, on Sunday, police suspect Kemppainen was involved in a number of politically charged crimes , targeted against houses with signs and displays supporting law enforcement and Donald Trump. In one, the suspect allegedly ran over an 80-year-old man who was putting up a Trump sign in his yard.
Hancock police department overloaded
The crime stretched the small-town police department thin, Sleeman said. There are only 10 officers, including herself, on staff. In the wake of the attack, they are running low on manpower, Sleeman said.
Because of the small staff, Sleeman said, it took her department approximately two hours to arrive at Kemppainen's house on Monday.
Sleeman told the Free Press she is "disappointed" with the crime and political violence in Hancock.
"As a community, we need to be able to accept views," she said. "Our country shouldn't be like this."
If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org .
Breaking news reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at lrappleye@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan man who confessed to ATV attack identified; victim, 80, released from hospital
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