DETROIT – A 16-year-old boy was killed, another 16-year-old is in custody, while another is still at large, following the shooting of an officer who suffered non-life-threatening injuries on Detroit’s east side.
The shooting occurred on Thursday (July 3) at 10:30 p.m. when police from Detroit’s 9th Precinct were on routine patrol around 10:30 p.m.
Police reported encountering the three individuals near an abandoned building amid a recent surge in local disturbances.
According to police, the suspects were wearing masks and standing next to the building, which has been vacant for over five years.
Officers said they stopped to investigate and detained one individual, while the other two fled on foot.
During the pursuit, police said a brief struggle occurred.
One suspect, reportedly reaching for a handgun, managed to grab the weapon and shot an officer in the left hand.
Officials said the officer returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect, who was identified as a 16-year-old boy.
Police said another detained individual was also 16 years old.
Officials said they’re continuing to search for the third suspect, with assistance from Michigan State Police and a canine unit.
Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison urged the community to come forward with any information about the suspect still at large.
“If you know who the suspect is, please speak up. You can even call 911. We need to apprehend him as soon as possible,” Bettison said.
Regarding the weapon recovered, police confirmed it was a .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine.
Bettison addressed concerns about youth involvement in violent crime, noting the suspects were violating curfew.
“Our kids should not be out at this time of night, and they should not have handguns,” Bettison said, calling on parents to take responsibility.
On broader concerns about summer violence, Bettison emphasized that while high-profile shootings affect public perception, statistics show a decrease in violent crime compared to last year.
“We’re down 20% in homicides and 30% in nonfatal shootings,” Bettison said. “More people are alive this year compared to last year at this time.”
The department has increased patrols and deployed a task force of over 100 officers for the Fourth of July weekend to ensure the city’s safety.
Bettison also explained that officers were acting on patterns of suspicious behavior and hot spot policing when they stopped the individuals.
“They saw people with masks standing next to a building, which was suspicious,” Bettison said.
At the time of the briefing, police were unaware of another reported shooting at Hurlbut Street and Mack Avenue.
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