Two people were killed and 19 injured in a shooting Sunday morning at a block party in East Detroit.
The shooting occurred Sunday during a block party in the 13000 block of Rossini Drive, near the intersection of Reno Street, according to a news release from the Detroit Police Department. An earlier news release from the Michigan State Police said 19 people were injured and two were killed.
According to WDIV-TV (channel 4), a 20-year-old woman who was shot in the head and a 21-year-old man who was shot in the back were killed. The station also reported that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the man was in the hospital.
The injured include a 17-year-old girl in critical condition, 13 people in critical condition and three in stable condition, WDIV reported.
According to MSP, no one has been arrested.
“The violence at several block parties over the past three days has been heartbreaking for this city. Young people and innocent neighbors are being put in danger every weekend. Chief (James) White and I will hold a full briefing tomorrow to discuss this increase in violence at these events and our plans to address it,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement to the Free Press.
John Roach, a spokesman for Duggan, said he believed there were also incidents of violence at other block parties over the weekend. Specific details were not immediately available. The topic will be discussed at a news conference scheduled for Monday, Donakowski told the Free Press.
City Councilman Scott Benson lives just a few blocks from where the shooting occurred and said he was “shocked” Sunday. He was asleep when it happened, but he’s heard reports from his community leaders about a neighborhood party that got out of hand, screaming and yelling for help. He was told multiple guns were found at the scene — nine, according to his information. He wondered why anyone would feel the need to bring a gun to a block party. “Phone, keys, gun? Why is gun on the list?” he said. Even in his military career, the number of people injured at night was striking, he said. And he thought about the children and community members in the neighborhood where this happened as he spoke. Everyone in the community needs to work together to combat this violence, Benson said. He said there are already discussions about moving citizen patrols to different times of day so they can spot potential problems and alert police when shootings like this are more likely to occur. He is also aware of the police department’s communication about cracking down on block parties. He hopes that the people of Lansing and at the federal level will also take action and find a solution to gun access. The fact that the perpetrators are still at large “feels horrible,” Benson said. “We can’t continue to have this level of violence,” he said.
State Rep. Mai Xiong, D-Warren, whose district includes the area, said the community “must come together and take meaningful action to prevent these events.”
“I am deeply saddened and heartbroken by the recent shooting in Northeast Detroit,” Xiong said in a statement. “My condolences go out to the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this senseless act of violence. During what should have been a joyous celebration over the Independence Day weekend, we are instead faced with a devastating reminder that gun violence hits too close to home, right in our own backyard.
“As a community, we should come together to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the freedoms we cherish, not live in fear of such tragedies. This incident underscores the urgent need to address gun violence and work to create a safer environment for all.
“Together, we can and must find solutions to ensure our neighborhoods are safe havens where families can thrive without fear. Let us honor the victims by committing to this vital cause and working tirelessly to bring about change.”
On site
From Rossini Drive, from Reno Street to Holt Avenue, there is yellow tape, police cars, DPD and MSP officers in the area, along with a mix of residents, reporters and community violence response groups.
Among them is George Preston, president of the Mohican Regent Homeowners Association, which holds monthly meetings to encourage residents to come up with solutions that affect their communities. These meetings include legislators, community leaders and residents.
“It’s heartbreaking to see someone lose their life here,” Preston said. “The city doesn’t give us the funding to address the things that people have done out of their own pockets. … Impoverishment and crime are the two biggest issues. … If we can address impoverishment, people feel better about their community.”
Preston says he, along with other CVI groups, plan to sit down with residents after the police and cameras are gone to talk to them and hear their concerns about this shooting and the overall situation in the neighborhood.
Jalen Williams is an intern at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected].