Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 6:42 AM Updated: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 7:39 AM
By John Agar | The Grand Rapids Press
A southwest side family watches police investigate a home across the street from them Wednesday after man shot and killed his girlfriend in the street and then took his own life around 8:40 a.m. after a standoff that lasted a couple hours. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)
Homicide in southwest Grand Rapids gallery (10 photos)
GRAND RAPIDS – Police are trying to determine what led Danyiel Jammar Davis to kill his ex-wife, then himself, while her young children were in the house.
Davis shot Amy Diane Cosgrove, 26, outside of her home at 650 Oakland Ave. SW.
Witnesses said she ran barefoot trying escape the gunman before she collapsed in the road just down the street.
She suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Police said that a 911 caller reported an argument around 6 a.m. A second call said the woman had been shot.
Police believed that the gunman was inside the house, and called in the Special Response Team and hostage negotiators. But police responded cautiously once officers spotted a child, about 3 years old, wandering inside.
Police were also told by the victim's family that an infant was inside, too. A couple hours after the shooting, police entered the house to rescue the children.
The older child told police that Davis was in the basement.
Police found him on the stairs, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Police recovered a pistol near his body, and think it was used to kill Cosgrove.
Protective services workers responded, and worked with Cosgrove's family to care for them. The family took them to the hospital to be checked, but no injuries were found. They are staying with family members, police said.
Her family declined comment later that afternoon.
Neighbors said that Cosgrove and Davis lived in the house for less than a month. They were divorced in 2007 after a brief marriage. They had no children during the course of the marriage, Kent County records showed.
Danielli Munoz, who lives next door, said she did not know much about the couple. She didn't know anything happened until police approached as she left her house that morning.
“I was shocked, this happening with my neighbors,” she said.
Munoz moved into the neighborhood in June.
“We liked this area because it really was quiet.”
The shooting, near Southwest Community Campus School, forced Grand Rapids Public Schools to close for the day. Police suggested nearby neighbors evacuate early on.
“We’ve had a tremendous tragedy here this morning that’s going to affect a lot of people,” police Chief Kevin Belk said, near the scene.
He said Davis was known to police, but he did not have a significant criminal record. Records showed he pleaded guilty in 2005 to possession of marijuana, as well as minor traffic offenses.
Capt. Jeff Hertel said detectives would try to determine what might have sparked the killing by talking to family and friends of the two.
“Maybe he said something to somebody,” Hertel said.
He said that the victim's family was very helpful in taking care of the children, and worked closely with police.
Police asked anyone with information to call 456-3604 or Silent Observer at 774-2345.
Press reporter Garret Ellison contributed to this story.
E-mail John Agar: jagar@grpress.com
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