Man convicted of armed robbery and assault at Kalamazoo store in 2022

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A man has been convicted of armed robbery and assault in Kalamazoo.

According to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS), the incident occurred in August 2022 in the 2100 block of South Burdick Street.

We’re told the suspect walked into a store with a gun and demanded money. He shot the employee and a customer before driving away in a vehicle and crashing it.

KDPS told FOX 17 that the suspect later fired shots at an officer’s patrol car. A short chase followed in which he repeatedly shot at officers. He evaded arrest for several days until he was taken into custody days later.

The suspect was later identified as Juan Antonio Alvarado-Lopez. He was charged with 17 counts, including assault with intent to murder, assault to commit armed robbery, assault on an officer, and resisting and obstructing, according to KDPS.

Alvarado-Lopez pleaded guilty to 14 of those charges, investigators tell FOX 17. He was sentenced to 17 to 40 years in prison and two years in prison for firearms-related charges. Both sentences will be served consecutively.

“This conviction underscores the seriousness of the crime and underscores the unacceptable violence our officers and community members are subjected to,” said Capt. Danielle Guilds of the Criminal Investigations Division. “This case is a sobering reminder of the risks our public safety officers take every day to keep our city safe.”

KDPS re-released body camera video showing the moments Alvarado-Lopez opened fire on a responding officer to emphasize how dangerous the incident was.

Follow FOX 17: Facebook – X (formerly Twitter) – Instagram – YouTube