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Updated: 4/23/2008 4:58:41 PM
Capac shooting suspect finally behind bars
By Mary Lou Creamer
Editor

Donald Burke, the suspect in last week’s shooting of two police officers, has been transferred from the hospital to the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center, it was announced Wednesday afternoon.
Burke, 50, of Capac, had been hospitalized with an undisclosed heart condition since his arrest last Thursday morning.
Burke is suspected of shooting Capac Police Chief Raymond Hawks and St. Clair County Sheriff Deputy Tim O’Boyle after leading Hawks on a traffic chase through Capac to his house. Witnesses said Burke entered his home and then returned with a .22-caliber shotgun, firing off several shots, one of which struck the chief, leaving him in serious condition.
O’Boyle was grazed by a bullet and treated and released at Port Huron Hospital the night of the shooting.
Burke led authorities on a manhunt after officers discovered he was not inside his house on William G. Drive. He was discovered about 4/12 hours later, hiding in the cab of a truck at a local business about a half-mile from his home.
Meanwhile Hawks remains in the intensive care unit at Port Huron Hospital. He has undergone three surgeries, and doctors attempted for a third time earlier this week to remove the chief from the ventilator, but were unsuccessful. Each time they attempted, Hawks’ heart began racing. They canceled a fourth attempt for fear of the problems it could cause.
Burke is facing at least two counts of attempted murder. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday in the 72nd District Court in Port Huron.

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