A 44-year-old Benton Harbor man was shot and killed by police after he allegedly kidnapped his wife and held her hostage Wednesday afternoon at a hotel in Benton Township.

The incident began shortly after 6 a.m. when Berrien County Dispatch received a call about an armed abduction from The Willows nursing home on Hollywood Road in Royalton Township, according to a Michigan State Police press release.

The female victim — Kenyatta A. Wright, 38, of Benton Harbor — was dragged from the building by her husband, Marcus Deon Meridy, according to the press release.

At approximately 9 a.m., officers located a vehicle associated with Meridy behind the American Inn located just off of I-94. Officers on scene were able to determine that Meridy and Wright were inside of a guest room on the second floor of the inn and tactical officers and negotiators responded to the scene.

Troopers slid a cell phone under the door and negotiated with Meridy for more than 30 minutes in the hopes of freeing Wright. At approximately 9:47a.m., a shot was heard from inside the room. Troopers with the Michigan State Police Emergency Support Team forced their way into the motel room when the shot was heard. Meridy then fired one round at troopers who returned gunfire striking and killing Meridy. Wright suffered non-life threatening injuries after being beaten and shot. Wright was transported from the scene by ambulance and she is being treated at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph.

Investigators from the Michigan State Police Fifth District Headquarters are investigating the officer involved shooting with the assistance of the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Grand Rapids.

The Michigan State Police Niles Post was assisted with this investigation by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Benton Township Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michigan State Police Emergency Support Team, Fifth District Fugitive Team, Fifth District Headquarters, Fifth District HS, and Medic 1 Ambulance.