DETROIT – A homeowner linked to a separate homicide case and two 17-year-old intruders are in custody after the teens broke into the man’s home, encountered his wife, and killed her before the man disarmed one and shot the other, Detroit officials said.
The incident happened Tuesday (June 28) at a home in the 9200 block of Minock Street on Detroit’s west side, according to authorities. The home belongs to a man who is linked to a different homicide investigation, Detroit police Chief James White said.
“This is a very complicated investigation that we’re just getting into,” White said.
Two 17-year-old boys broke into the home -- one armed with a handgun and the other armed with an assault rifle, he said.
Once inside the home, the teenagers ran into a woman in her 30s who lives there, police said. One of the teens shot and killed her, they said.
“It’s very possible that she was not the intended target,” White said.
The homeowner told police that the woman was his wife, according to authorities.
After the woman was shot, the homeowner encountered the two teenagers, the chief said.
“He was able to disarm the one perpetrator and shoot the second perpetrator,” White said.
The teen who was shot by the homeowner fled on foot, stole a bicycle, and met up with someone else, according to police. He was taken to a hospital to treat his gunshot wounds, and that’s where officers took him into custody, they said.
That teenager is in critical condition.
Police said the other 17-year-old, the one who was disarmed during the confrontation, ran away and was chased down by the homeowner, authorities said.
“The victim was able to chase him down, and some type of physical altercation ensued,” White said. “He was able to hold him at least until the officers arrived.”
The homeowner was also taken into custody after police arrived, according to the chief.
“We’re investigating him on another homicide,” White said.
It’s unclear if that homicide case is related to this incident, but this was not a random shooting, and there’s no risk to the community, according to authorities.
“The fact that there’s another warrant pending on the victim for homicide could be tied to this case -- we just don’t know,” White said.
The chief said all of the people involved in this case seemed to know each other. He called it a “targeted situation.”
Police aren’t sure if the woman who was killed was the intended target, or if she was caught in the crossfire while the teenagers were searching for the man.
“We’re understanding that one of the perpetrators resides at the residence, at least for the past couple days, and might be related, at least, to the male victim,” White said.
You can watch White’s full briefing in the video below.