Police arrest teen suspected of fatally shooting his parents at Central Michigan University

After a lengthy manhunt on Friday, police arrested a college student who allegedly shot and killed his parents at Central Michigan University.

James Eric Davis Jr., 19, of Plainfield, was taken into custody shortly after he was spotted walking across the campus after midnight on Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reported.

His parents were identified as James Eric Davis Sr. and Diva Jeneen Davis of Plainfield, WGN-TV reported. Davis Sr. was part-time Bellwood police officer for nearly 20 years. He also worked as an officer at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago and was an Army veteran who had served in Iraq. Diva Davis was as a real estate broker and had also worked as a flight attendant. Additionally, she was a breast cancer survivor, reports stated.

What happened?

The two were killed during a shooting around 8:30 a.m. Friday at Campbell Hall, a dormitory Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, campus. A dorm video showed Davis fleeing on foot after allegedly killing his parents. As he ran, he began shedding certain clothing items, WGN reported.

Campus police had taken Davis to a hospital Thursday night due to a “drug-related problem,” that may have been an overdose, according to published reports.

During their search, officers wearing camouflage knocked on doors and searched for places Davis could be hiding, such as yards and porches. Members of the surrounding community, including students and staff in the Mount Pleasant school district, were told to stay indoors, WGN reported. The search primarily took place in the Mount Pleasant neighborhoods near the campus.

More than 100 officers from multiple agencies participated in the search.

The shooting happened just as parents were arriving to pick up students on the last day of classes before a the week-long spring break. Parents were advised to go to a nearby hotel, where campus staff was waiting.

The university and local police said the suspect was taken into custody after he was seen passing through the campus after midnight Saturday. He was arrested without incident, CMU reported on its website.

Were there any signs of brewing trouble?

Friends of the family told WGN that Davis Jr. was “respectful” and “a good kid.” They also said his parents were "upstanding" and they saw no obvious signs of trouble. The teen was a sophomore at the campus.

"This has been a tragic day. The hurting will go on for a while," university President George Ross told media.

CMU is located about 70 miles north of Lansing.