GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Craig E. Hunnicutt Jr., 43, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition as a convicted felon.
“The gun violence epidemic is inflicting grave harm on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As a convicted felon, Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. His brazen actions of firing a gun and shooting several victims in the parking lot of a convenience store put the public at great risk of harm. As we did here, my Office will continue to focus our limited federal resources on those few individuals driving violence in our communities.”
In August 2023, the Grand Rapids Police Department responded to a shooting at a convenience store parking lot where four people had been shot. Investigators made contact with one victim who needed emergency medical care due to a gunshot wound to his leg. Two additional victims were also transported to the hospital to receive emergency medical care for gunshot wounds.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage which shows Hunnicutt Jr. walk up to a group of people and open fire with a handgun. Hunnicutt is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Investigators retrieved five spent casings from the pistol used in the shooting and a witness also identified Hunnicutt Jr. as the shooter.
At the time of the shooting, Hunnicutt Jr. was under federal supervision after having been released from a 17-year sentence for possessing cocaine base and a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
“Craig Hunnicutt Jr. is a repeat habitual felon prohibited from possessing firearms,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “During this incident, Hunnicutt Jr. illegally possessed a firearm and shot four people in our community. Michiganders deserve better and demand more from our community members. Rest assured: Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. will have a lot of time to redeem himself for his reprehensible conduct. Simply put, Michigan is safer with Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. off our streets and behind bars.”
The Grand Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Metoxen and Steve Baker prosecuted the case.
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