CAMPGROUND standoff ends with second man shot after allegedly pointing weapon at police

<br>VANDALIA, Mich. (AP) _ A campground standoff ended in its fifth day Tuesday with a second man fatally shot by police after allegedly pointing a weapon at an officer. <br><br>Rolland Rohm, 28, was shot

Tuesday, September 4th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6



VANDALIA, Mich. (AP) _ A campground standoff ended in its fifth day Tuesday with a second man fatally shot by police after allegedly pointing a weapon at an officer.

Rolland Rohm, 28, was shot about 6:30 a.m., the day after his roommate was fatally shot by an FBI agent, Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood Jr. said.

Rohm had been ordered several times to put his weapon down, Underwood said. He said Rohm pointed the gun at a Michigan State Police officer and was shot.

A police bomb squad was checking the campground. ``It's our understanding that the campground has been booby-trapped,'' Underwood said.

Early Tuesday, Rohm had said he would surrender at 7 a.m. if his son were brought to see him, Underwood said. The sheriff said police were in the process of granting the request when shortly after 6 a.m., a fire was reported at the compound.

Rohm was then seen leaving the residence with a long gun and walking into the yard, Underwood said. He said police warned Rohm to drop the weapon, but he instead pointed it an officer.

Rohm lived at the campground, called Rainbow Farms, with Grover T. Crosslin, the campground's owner. Crosslin, 47, was fatally shot Monday evening by an FBI agent after pointing a rifle at the agent, Underwood said.

Crosslin had been facing felony drug and weapons charges, authorities said.

The standoff began Friday when deputies went to the farm after neighbors said Crosslin was burning buildings on his property, which is the target of civil forfeiture proceedings. A house and four main buildings on the campground property appeared to have been burned since then, Underwood said.

Crosslin reportedly warned neighbors that day to leave the area because ``all hell was going to break loose.''

Dori Leo, Crosslin's and Rohm's attorney, said Rohm and his 12-year-old son, who was recently placed in foster care, had lived with Crosslin for at least five years. Leo said Crosslin was upset because Rohm's son, who he helped raise, had been taken from the home.

Deputies said they believe Crosslin was upset about a bond revocation hearing scheduled for Friday. It was set because police believed he had held a festival on the campground, in violation of the terms of his release on previous drug and weapons charges.

Crosslin had been arrested in May over allegations of marijuana use at his 34-acre campground and charged with felony possession of a firearm, growing marijuana and maintaining a drug house.

Authorities alleged Crosslin shot a news helicopter from WNDU-TV in nearby South Bend, Ind., as it flew overhead Friday. Shots also were fired at an unmarked state police plane Saturday but missed, police said. Both aircraft landed safely without injuries.

According to the Rainbow Farm's Web site, Crosslin bought the property about 15 years ago with the idea of supporting ``the medical, spiritual and responsible recreational uses of marijuana for a more sane and compassionate America.''
logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

September 4th, 2001

March 14th, 2024

December 4th, 2023

September 25th, 2023

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024