Ann Arbor police search for person of interest in shooting of 16-month-old child

Weapon has not been located, police say

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Police in Ann Arbor are searching for a person of interest in the accidental shooting of a 16-month-old child.

The person has been identified as Devontae Derrell Brooks, 27, and investigators said he could have critical information regarding the case.

A child in Ann Arbor was shot in the head Sunday (Oct. 24) afternoon and was listed as in critical condition on Monday. Police have officially ruled the shooting an accident.

“There is an individual that we know was present at the event and that we do need to speak to in order to complete our investigation,” Lieutenant Bonnie Thiel said.

Local 4 learned the child was in an apartment with other minors when the child was shot. It is believed that the child was shot by another minor. The oldest person in the home at the time of the shooting was 11 years old.

“There were adults outside. But at the time the incident occurred, it was just the minor children inside the home,” Thiel said.

Brooks is believed to have been one of the adults outside who left the scene after the shooting.

Police have not located the weapon that was used in the shooting. Ann Arbor police believe Brooks may have information that could help them find who owned the weapon.

“We are currently still investigating that, where that weapon is. And, so that is a key piece of information that we need Mr. Brooks to help us with,” Thiel said.

Police hope Brooks will voluntarily turn himself in for questioning. They said Brooks has family in Ann Arbor and in the state of Alabama.

Read: More Ann Arbor crime coverage


About the Authors:

Victor Williams joined Local 4 News in October of 2019 after working for WOIO in Cleveland, OH, WLOX News in Biloxi, MS, and WBBJ in Jackson, TN. Victor developed a love for journalism after realizing he was a great speaker and writer at an early age.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.