Connor Lotterman Obituary: GVSU Engineering Student Remembered After Fatal Accidental Shooting in Michigan
Connor Lotterman Obituary-The family, friends and university community of Connor Steven Lotterman continue to remember the 19-year-old Grand Valley State University engineering student whose life was tragically cut short following an accidental shooting in Tallmadge Township, Michigan, in May 2025.
Connor was critically wounded during a gathering at a private residence on May 9, 2025, after a firearm was discharged from an upstairs bedroom. A bullet traveled through the floor and struck Connor, who was in a room below.
He was rushed to the hospital but died from his injuries the following day, May 10, 2025.
Although Connor’s death has recently resurfaced in online discussions, the incident did not occur in August 2026. The fatal shooting happened more than a year earlier, in May 2025.
What Happened to Connor Lotterman?
Connor was attending a gathering at a residence in Tallmadge Township, located in Ottawa County, on the night of May 9, 2025.
According to investigators, a 20-year-old man attending the gathering obtained a firearm inside the home.
The gun was reportedly fired several times through the floor of an upstairs bedroom.
Connor was downstairs when one of the bullets penetrated the floor and struck him in the head.
Emergency responders transported him to a hospital in critical condition. Despite efforts to save him, Connor died on May 10.
He was 19 years old.
Connor Lotterman’s Cause of Death
The Ottawa County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Connor’s death was accidental.
Investigators did not believe the person who fired the weapon intended to shoot Connor.
Authorities estimated that approximately 10 to 20 people were present at the gathering when the shooting occurred.
Alcohol was also believed by investigators to have played a role in the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Although Connor’s death was classified as accidental, the manner in which the firearm was discharged resulted in criminal proceedings.
Who Was Connor Steven Lotterman?
Connor was born on May 13, 2005, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Steve and Maria Lotterman.
He grew up as the youngest of five children in a close family and religious community.
Connor attended Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School before continuing his education at Covenant Christian High School.
He graduated from Covenant Christian High School in 2023.
Following graduation, Connor enrolled at Grand Valley State University, where he was pursuing an engineering education and preparing for a future career in the field.
At only 19, much of his adult life was still ahead of him when the tragedy occurred.
Family and Loved Ones Remember Connor
Connor’s obituary reflected the importance of family, faith and relationships throughout his life.
He was surrounded by parents, siblings, grandparents, extended relatives, friends and members of his church community who became important parts of his story.
His surviving loved ones included his parents, Steve and Maria Lotterman, his siblings, including Davinia, Marielle and Brett, and other family members.
Connor was also remembered alongside his longtime girlfriend, Rae Brummel.
His grandparents Nick and Ina Kleyn, together with numerous relatives and friends, were among those left grieving his sudden passing.
For those closest to Connor, the circumstances of the shooting represented the abrupt loss of a young man who had only recently begun building his adult life.
Criminal Case Filed After Fatal Shooting
Although investigators determined Connor’s death was accidental, authorities pursued criminal charges against the man accused of firing the gun.
The individual was identified as Westen Meulenberg, a Jenison resident who was 20 years old when the shooting occurred.
Meulenberg was charged with discharging a firearm in a building causing death.
The criminal case focused on the alleged handling and discharge of the firearm rather than an allegation that Connor had intentionally been targeted.
Meulenberg later pleaded guilty to the felony charge in September 2025.
Prison Sentence in Connor Lotterman Case
The case reached another significant stage on October 27, 2025, when an Ottawa County judge sentenced Meulenberg.
He received a prison sentence ranging from five years and 10 months to 25 years.
Reports also indicated that Meulenberg was ordered to pay approximately $8,000 in restitution.
The sentencing concluded a major portion of the criminal proceedings arising from the shooting that had taken Connor’s life several months earlier.
For Connor’s family, however, no court outcome could replace the son, brother, relative and friend they had lost.
Connor’s Life as a Grand Valley State University Student
At the time of his death, Connor was studying engineering at Grand Valley State University.
His university education represented an important new stage in his life after graduating from high school in 2023.
Like many students his age, Connor was developing his interests, pursuing his education and preparing for the career and experiences that would follow.
His death at 19 meant that many of those plans would never have the opportunity to unfold.
His classmates and others within his educational community were left grieving alongside his family and longtime friends.
Faith and Community
Connor was raised within a close church community that became an important source of support following his death.
The relationships surrounding his family extended beyond immediate relatives and included friends, classmates and fellow members of their religious community.
When tragedy struck, those connections became especially important as loved ones gathered to mourn and remember Connor.
His funeral arrangements also reflected the strong connection between his family and their faith community.
Connor Lotterman’s Funeral Service
Connor’s funeral was held at 12 noon on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.
Visitation took place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 15 and May 16 at Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville.
His family arranged a private committal and interment at Rosedale Memorial Park.
Those services provided relatives, friends, classmates and members of the church community with an opportunity to come together, support Connor’s family and say goodbye.
Memorial contributions were suggested in Connor’s memory to Gift of Life Michigan.
A Tragedy With Lasting Consequences
Connor’s death demonstrated the potentially devastating consequences of unsafe firearm handling.
Investigators determined that he was not intentionally targeted. Instead, a bullet reportedly fired through the floor of an upstairs room struck him in the room below.
Within moments, an ordinary gathering had become a tragedy that would permanently change the lives of Connor’s family and friends.
The subsequent criminal proceedings brought legal consequences, but they could not undo what happened on May 9, 2025.
Connor Lotterman’s Legacy
The circumstances of Connor’s death became part of his story, but they do not define the entirety of his life.
He was a son, brother, boyfriend, friend, church-community member and engineering student who was preparing for a future that held many possibilities.
Those who knew him are left with memories formed during his childhood, school years, family gatherings, friendships and the beginning of his university journey.
More than a year after his passing, Connor’s memory continues through those relationships and the people who knew him personally.
Final Tribute
Connor Steven Lotterman died on May 10, 2025, at the age of 19 after being accidentally struck by gunfire during a gathering in Tallmadge Township, Michigan.
He had been studying engineering at Grand Valley State University after graduating from Covenant Christian High School in 2023.
Investigators determined that Connor’s death was accidental, while the man responsible for firing the weapon, Westen Meulenberg, later pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in a building causing death and received a prison sentence.
For Connor’s loved ones, however, his memory extends far beyond the tragedy.
He will be remembered as a young man whose life was surrounded by family, faith, education, friendship and plans for the future.
May Connor Steven Lotterman continue to be remembered with love and dignity by his family, friends, classmates and everyone whose life he touched.
Disclaimer
This article is based on information available concerning Connor Steven Lotterman’s death and the subsequent criminal proceedings. The fatal shooting occurred on May 9, 2025, and Connor died on May 10, 2025; it should not be presented as a new accident occurring in August 2026. Details concerning the shooting, medical findings, court proceedings, sentencing and funeral arrangements should be confirmed through appropriate official records or family sources where necessary.
