West Michigan man who killed friends in New Year's shooting will serve a year in jail
VAN BUREN COUNTY — A man who shot and killed two friends on New Year's will serve a year in jail and three years of probation after pleading guilty in June, according to reporting from WZZM.
Christopher Toppenberg, 62, of Lawrence Township, was initially charged with two counts of second degree murder and two counts of felony firearm, but those charges were dismissed when Toppenberg pled guilty to a single charge of discharging a firearm under the influence of liquor or a controlled substance and causing death, WZZM reports.
More: West Michigan man pleads guilty to felony weapons charge after shooting friends on New Year's Day
He was given credit for 167 days already served.
Toppenberg was arrested in January for killing 40-year-old Jason McCreary of Sutter Creek, California, and 35-year-old David Reed of Waverly Township after firing 20-25 celebratory shots from an AR-15.
The shooting happened just after midnight Sunday, Jan. 1, on 60th Avenue near County Road 681 in Lawrence Township. A small group of people shot off fireworks when Toppenberg started firing the gun, according to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.
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Lt. Tony Evans told media in January that Toppenberg believed the "range" was clear when he began shooting in that direction. Evans also said the victims were Toppenberg's friends.
McCreary died at the scene from a shot to the head and Reed died at the hospital from multiple shots to the back.
— Cassandra Lybrink is the local editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at clybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @CassLybrink.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Michigan man who killed friends in New Year's shooting will serve a year in jail
