Police seek witnesses in deadly assault.

Police seek witnesses in deadly assault.

#OceanaCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART – The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office is asking that any witnesses – who have not yet come forward – regarding the deadly assault early Sunday morning, July 28, should contact the sheriff’s office with information.

The assault occurred during an after-hours wedding party on Elm Street in Ferry Township, which resulted in the death of Robert Brown, 37, of Nashville, Michigan, said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast.

A 34-year-old Hart man has been identified as a suspect, Mast said. He was arrested Sunday morning for operating while intoxicated. “He has not been charged as of yet in this incident causing death because of how fragile the victim’s status was,” Mast said.

Brown had been hospitalized in intensive care with a head injury prior to his death.

Deputies and Life EMS paramedics were dispatched to the residence to investigate a complaint of a man who was down after an altercation between party goers. There had been a wedding reception in Shelby Saturday evening. After the reception, some guests and the wedding party went to the home for “after-party festivities,” said Mast.

“Sources say that throughout the evening, there had been an ongoing disagreement between two gentlemen at the party,” he said. “At approximately 4:33 a.m., this disagreement turned physical between the two, and the victim fell to the ground. In doing so, he sustained extremely critical injuries to his head. Party goers called 911 for assistance after almost an hour had passed.”

The victim was immediately transported to Mercy Health Partners Lakeshore Campus in Shelby and then transferred to MHP Hackley Campus in Muskegon and later died.

The case remains under investigation.

Witnesses should call the sheriff’s office at 231-873-2121 and ask to speak to a detective.

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