DETROIT – A 15-year-old girl was shot following a fight on Detroit’s east side.
The incident occurred on Wednesday (Aug. 27) after 6 p.m. in the 19000 block of Schoenherr Street.
Detroit Deputy Chief Arnold Williams, over the eastern operations, spoke about the incident and what exactly took place.
“When officers arrived, we found one female who was shot in the arm. That female was 15 years old. She was rushed to her area hospital,” Williams said.
Preliminary investigation suggests the victim and another female were supposed to meet for a fight. “When they came up here to fight, someone brought a gun. It’s unclear who brought that gun. It’s unclear who fired the shot and how the 15-year-old female was injured. We’re still trying to develop that,” said Williams.
Williams said the victim and another girl were supposed to meet up at the location to fight.
When they arrived, police said someone brought a gun, leading to the shooting.
Officials said it was unclear who brought the gun and how the 15-year-old was injured.
Police said two individuals have been detained as potential witnesses, but officials are still working to piece together the full story.
Williams addressed the broader issue of youth violence in Detroit.
“One of the most important things that we can say is that we are still dealing with children, and they have to learn how to regulate themselves. Parents have to know where their children are going, what they are doing, and whether or not they have access to firearms,” Williams said.
Williams emphasized that self-regulation is a common denominator in many violent incidents.
“Parents have to help their children, but they shouldn’t be bringing guns to fights, and we shouldn’t be fighting. We should be talking,” Williams said.
Williams noted that there was another recent shooting on the west side at a playground, highlighting concerns about violence in community spaces.
“We have stepped up our patrols, especially in the summer, with beefed-up patrols on Fridays and Saturdays and specialized operations throughout the week,” Williams said. “But some things you can’t stop. It’s a full community effort that’s going to have to take place for the violence to stop.”
Regarding the motive, Williams said the incident could possibly be related to social media, but the investigation is ongoing.
The ages of the detained individuals have not been disclosed, but they are adolescents and may only be witnesses.
Deputy Chief Arnold Williams talks shooting of 15-year-old girl on Detroit’s east side