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Detroit Man Charged With Murder After Police Sergeant Dies Days Following Shooting

DETROIT (WWJ) - A young man accused of shooting a Detroit police officer is facing new charges after the sergeant died over the weekend.

Marquise Cromer, 21, has been charged with first degree murder in the death of Ken Steil, a 17-year veteran of the force.

Police say the officer, last Monday night, was chasing Cromer — a suspected carjacker — on foot outside a gas station on the city's east side when Cromer fired at Steil with a sawed off shotgun.

Chief James Craig said the Steil was expected to be OK. The recovering sergeant was talking about returning to the force when he died suddenly from complications, shortly before he was supposed to be released from the hospital.

Steil leaves behind a wife and two children.

Ken Steil
Ken Steil and family (photos: Detroit Police Department)

Cromer will be arraigned on the new charges at a hearing set for Tuesday.

He was previously charged with the following in connection with the incident: one count of assault with intent to murder; one count of resisting and obstructing police officer causing serious impairment; three counts of  resisting and obstructing a police officer; one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun, and felony firearm.

Cromer is also charged with assault, accused of shooting his father in foot (the day before he allegedly shot Steil) as the older man sat at the dining room table at their home on Dickerson, near Jefferson Ave., in Detroit. Prosecutors say he also threatened his stepmother at gunpoint.

Police have said Cromer suffers from depression and had not been taking his medication.

[Detroit Police Invite Public To Decorate Fallen Officer's Squad Car]

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