In the early morning hours of June 15, 2023, the life of Alexander Schuster, a 20-year-old White man, was ended by gunfire in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Just after midnight, officers with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to reports of a shooting on Hays Park Avenue near Portage Street. They found Alexander suffering from a gunshot wound.
First responders performed lifesaving measures before he was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The investigation began immediately, and by the following day, June 16, police had made an arrest in connection with the homicide. A few days later, on June 20, 2023, the Kalamazoo County District Court charged two 19-year-old men, Malachi Glover and Demarqus Mills, with open murder for their alleged roles in Alexander’s death. The shooting prompted a public response from city leaders, with the mayor, police chief, and city manager issuing a joint statement decrying the ongoing crisis of gun violence and its devastating effects on families and the community.
The case against the accused progressed through the legal system over the next few years. In June 2026, Demarqus Mills, then 22, was convicted of armed robbery related to the incident. He was sentenced to serve 18 to 30 years in prison for his role in the events that led to Alexander's death.
A significant development in the case occurred in September 2026, when authorities arrested a third person. The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office had issued an eight-count felony warrant for 21-year-old Dariyon Mills-Wright, and he was taken into custody. On September 11, 2026, Mills-Wright was arraigned on charges including felony murder and armed robbery. He was given a $10,000 cash/surety bond. The case remained in active litigation as of September 2026.
