On a September evening in 2016, a dedicated 46-year-old White male, Sergeant Kenneth Melvin Steil, a 20-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, found himself in a fateful foot pursuit. The man he was chasing, 21-year-old Marquise Cromer, was a suspect in a string of violent crimes, including a carjacking and the shooting of his own father. The chase ended abruptly at a gas station on the city's east side when Cromer turned and fired a sawed-off shotgun, striking Sergeant Steil in the
shoulder.
Initially, the outlook for Sergeant Steil's recovery was hopeful. He was transported to St. John Hospital and was even talking about his return to the force. However, five days after the shooting, on September 17, 2016, as he was preparing to be discharged, he collapsed and died unexpectedly from a blood clot that had developed as a complication from the gunshot wound. Steil, affectionately known as 'Shark' by his colleagues, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain. He left behind his wife and two young sons.
Following the shooting, Marquise Cromer was quickly apprehended by other officers at the scene. He was initially charged with assault with intent to murder, but after Sergeant Steil's death, the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder and murder of a peace officer. During his trial, Cromer's defense attorney argued that his client was mentally ill and had a history of mental health issues, including a suicide attempt at a young age. Cromer himself claimed he was 'hearing voices' at the time of the shooting.
Ultimately, Marquise Cromer pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, with the addition of 'guilty but mentally ill,' as well as assault with intent to murder, carjacking, and felony firearms violations. In February 2018, he was sentenced to 38 to 75 years in prison for the murder charge, with an additional two years for the firearm violation. At the sentencing, Sergeant Steil's widow, JoAnn, delivered a powerful impact statement, expressing her pain and yet offering forgiveness to Cromer, citing her religious faith.
