Kingsley man Edmund Arlt charged after shots fired at Greenwood Township home

Michigan State Police say 50-year-old Edmund Roy Arlt of Kingsley was taken into custody after troopers responded to reports of shots fired that struck a Greenwood Township residence. "Preliminary investigation showed that someone had fired a weapon at the house and struck it," the MSP said.

Cadillac Post troopers were dispatched at 8:13 p.m. on Feb. 1 to the Greenwood Township home. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Arlt’s residence and seized a firearm. The MSP Emergency Support Team executed the arrest, and Arlt was lodged at the Wexford County Jail without incident. Authorities reported no injuries from the shooting.

Prosecutors have charged Arlt with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, commonly described as felonious assault, and one count of felony firearm. Some accounts of the case list additional counts, including possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol and reckless use of a firearm, and a fourth-offense habitual offender notice was reportedly added in court filings. A conviction on the felony firearm count carries a mandatory two-year prison term that must be served consecutively to any related felony sentence; habitual offender enhancements can substantially increase maximum penalties.

Arlt was arraigned in 84th District Court on Feb. 2 and is scheduled to appear again on Feb. 10 at 10:30 a.m. The arraignment confirmed the core charges and formally opened the court process; court documents and prosecutor filings will clarify whether the additional counts and the habitual offender notice remain in the formal charging instrument.

For residents of Grand Traverse and neighboring Wexford County townships, an incident in which a residence was struck by gunfire is a stark reminder of local public-safety vulnerabilities. Greenwood Township is a tight-knit community where reports of gunfire reverberate beyond the immediate property, affecting neighbors’ sense of safety and placing added demand on law enforcement resources. The seizure of a firearm and the involvement of the MSP Emergency Support Team indicate the case involved both investigative follow-up and a coordinated arrest operation.

The case also highlights broader public-health and policy considerations: gun violence carries long-term community impacts even when no physical injuries occur, increasing stress, disrupting daily life, and straining local emergency and judicial systems. Habitual offender enhancements, when applied, raise questions about sentencing policy and rehabilitation versus incapacitation that local officials and residents may watch as the case proceeds.

The investigation remains active. Residents seeking clarity can expect court filings and official MSP statements to provide further details on the weapon type, motive, and any additional charges as prosecutors prepare the case for potential trial.