DETROIT – A 7-year-old child was critically injured after being shot multiple times, and a man was killed in a shooting on Detroit’s west side.
Detroit police Deputy Chief Tiffany Stewart said officers responded to the area on Wednesday (June 24) at 9:40 p.m. near Burgess Street, not far from Outer Drive and Fenkell Avenue, after receiving multiple ShotSpotter alerts.
Officers said they arrived to find a deceased man on the ground several houses away from a child who had also been shot.
The child, who identified himself as Jacquise, was taken to a Metro Detroit hospital where he underwent surgery for multiple gunshot wounds to the stomach and leg. Police said the child remained in critical condition.
Police said the child was alone at the scene and officers had not yet identified a parent, guardian, or family member.
Police are also working to determine whether the deceased man was related to the child.
“We do not have a lot of information,” Stewart said during a news conference. “At this point in time, we do not know if this deceased male is related to the child.”
Scene details
The child and the adult were found in the same area, but several houses apart, on a largely vacant block with boarded-up homes.
Police said ShotSpotter detected approximately 18 rounds fired in the area before officers were dispatched. No 911 call was received reporting the shooting, according to police.
Officers recovered what appeared to be high-caliber rifle rounds at the scene.
“At this point in time, we do not have a lot of information regarding what occurred at this scene,” Stewart said.
Investigation underway
The Detroit Police Homicide Task Force is leading the investigation with assistance from the Michigan State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the FBI.
Police said they are searching for a suspect but do not currently have a description or information about who may be responsible.
“This case is wide open at this point in time,” Stewart said, asking the community to provide any information that could help investigators.
Police are conducting a neighborhood canvass and processing the scene as they work to determine what led to the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, the Detroit Police Homicide Unit at 313-596-2260, or call 911.
Watch the full presser below