AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – An off duty Detroit police officer and two others were taken to the hospital early Sunday morning after an altercation that led to the officer shooting a man and a woman in The Palace parking lot.
Authorities say the officer was changing a flat tire in the parking lot before the second performance of Kevin Hart when a car tried to pull into the next parking spot. There was an argument and then a physical fight when two people from the second car got out.
During the altercation, the officer fired his weapon, hitting two people. The gunshot victims are a 32-year-old man from Detroit and a 31-year-old woman from Harper Woods.
The off-duty police officer is a 26-year-old man. He fell to the pavement and injured his head during the fight.
All three were taken to McLaren Oakland Hospital with non life threatening injuries.
Detroit police released the following statement regarding the incident:
"An off-duty Detroit Police officer was involved in an incident last night at the Palace in Auburn Hills. The officer was attacked in the parking lot and responded by using his off-duty weapon. The Auburn Hills Police Depart is conducting a criminal investigation. DPD, in cooperation with the Auburn Hills Police Department, is also conducting an internal investigation into this incident. The officer sustained significant injury and is being treated at a local hospital."
Hart had two shows at The Palace overnight, with the second one starting just after midnight. Fans told Local 4's Shawn Ley that parking was a nightmare for the performances.
"You know how it is at The Palace, parking is kind of tight," said Lt. Jill McDonnell of Auburn Hills police. "I think he was still using the space adjacent to his vehicle."
The officer and the 31-year-old woman have been released from the hospital. The 32-year-old man is listed in stable condition.
The people involved were interviewed by authorities the day of the incident, but nobody has been arrested in this case.
The officer has been with the Detroit force for about two years. He is now the subject of a Detroit police use of force investigation while Auburn Hills police investigate the incident.
He'll have to be medically cleared to resume police activities and may be on desk duty, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 248-370-9444.