Suicide attempt by man accused of killing anti-abortion protester

A man charged with gunning down two people, including an anti-abortion protester, cut his arm in an apparent suicide attempt in jail, prosecutors said, as they disclosed that the man’s mother once worked with another intended victim.

Harlan James Drake, 33, was taken to a hospital with a self-inflicted wound near his wrist, Shiawassee County Prosecutor Randy Colbry said.

He did not know exactly when Drake was transported or what he used to cut himself.

“He attempted suicide. It sounds like he’s going to make it but it’s a serious gash, a very serious wound to his arm,” Mr Colbry said.

Drake, 33, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Friday.

Hours earlier, well-known local anti-abortion protester, James Pouillon, 63, was killed in a drive-by shooting near Owosso High School and the owner of a gravel company, Mike Fuoss, 61, was fatally shot at work.

Authorities said Owosso real-estate agent James Howe was a third target, but Drake’s capture at home ended the spree.

Investigators have said Drake had a “grudge” against Mr Fuoss and Mr Howe and didn’t like Mr Pouillon’s graphic anti-abortion signs. Mr Fuoss’ family has said Drake’s mother worked at the gravel company years ago.

Sara Edwards, chief assistant prosecutor, said that the mother also had done some work for Howe.

“I don’t know how that would lead to the grudges,” Ms Edwards said. “We have connections but we haven’t gotten to the root of it. That’s what we’ll be working on in the days ahead.”

Drake occasionally stayed at his family’s home, a converted old commercial building, when he wasn’t driving a truck across the country.

Drake was arraigned Friday without an attorney on first-degree murder charges and ordered held without bond.