Raymond Durham arraigned on charges in shooting of 2 Detroit police officers

DETROIT – The suspect in the shooting of two Detroit police officers Wednesday night was arraigned on charges Friday afternoon.

Raymond Durham, 60, of Detroit, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of resisting and obstructing the police causing serious impairment, one count of felon in possession of a firearm and five counts of felony firearms violations.

"We are able to charge this case today because of the round the clock collaboration with the Detroit Police Department, the Michigan State Police, and many others who worked tirelessly on this case," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. "Any time a police officer is injured is a stark reminder of how much law enforcement puts on the line every minute of every day."

Durham is hospitalized with gunshot wounds he suffered when the officers returned fire. His arraignment took place in the hospital. He is due in court March 24 for a probable cause conference and March 30 for a preliminary examination.

From the prosecutor's office: 

On March 15, 2017 at approximately 8:30 p.m. the two police officers were in a marked scout car and stopped to conduct a pedestrian investigation of Durham on Ash Street near Tillman. The officers stopped their car and lead Durham to the front of the vehicle.  While he was being detained Durham  is alleged to have fought with the officers and pulled a gun from his front waistband and fired at the officers causing them to return fire.

One officer who is a 20 year veteran of the Detroit Police Department suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The other officer, a 4 year member of the police department sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Both officers were taken to a local hospital where they are being treated.

At approximately 10:53 p.m. on the same night Durham was located and arrested by the police at Vinewood and Michigan Avenue.  The Detroit officers who arrested Durham observed him to have multiple gunshot wounds and transported him to a local hospital where he is currently being treated and remains in police custody.

What happened Wednesday night

Durham was taken into custody after a 2-and-1/2-hour manhunt Wednesday night. Chief James Craig said the man was very violent when he fired at the officers near Ash and Tillman.

"He was aggressively trying to kill our officers," Craig said during a Thursday morning news conference.

The chief said his officers from the 3rd Precinct were investigating a significant increase in non-fatal shootings in the area when the man shot at them. Craig said the man was unprovoked when he fired several rounds at the officers. A motive is unclear, he said. Officers had approached him to ask questions about the reported crimes.

"We know that the suspect armed himself, fired several shots striking both officers, unprovoked," he said.

The chief said when the man finally was taken into custody near Michigan Avenue and Vinewood Streets he was still trying to attack his officers. 

Detroit police chief: Officers in stable condition after being shot

Durham is primary suspect in fatal shooting of Collin Rose

Detroit police Chief James Craig said a DNA match has confirmed Durham as a suspect in the murder of Wayne State University police Sgt. Collin Rose.

"Raymond Durham is considered the prime suspect in the murder of Wayne State police Sgt. Collin Rose," Craig said Friday at a news conference.

The Detroit Police Department confirmed Friday that DNA found at the scene of Rose's shooting matches DNA tests of Durham, who is accused of shooting of two officers near Ash and Tillman Wednesday night.

Craig said police received "telephonic confirmation of a positive DNA match" between Durham and the suspect in Rose's murder.

"We are calling him a suspect in this matter, so that is a big first step," Craig said.

He said this DNA match is one component of the investigation and that police will continue to investigate, gathering evidence and conducting interviews.

Craig also said he plans to check up on the two officers who are still recovering in the hospital. He said they were in good spirits and were even laughing with him when he visited them on Thursday.

"I think they will be happy," Craig said. "The one officer who had the more significant injuries, he said to me as I leaned over his bed, 'I believe that the suspect who shot us is the suspect who shot Collin Rose.'"

Watch part of Craig's Friday news conference here: 

Case background

Sources told Local 4 Thursday night that the DNA was found on a flashlight and glove from the night Rose was shot while working a case in Woodbridge.

Rose was shot a little more than a mile away from Wednesday night's shooting scene.

Durham, 60, was taken into custody after a 2 1/2-hour manhunt.

Durham's family said he is schizophrenic and has been homeless, drifting around for the past 40 years. They said they have never seen him be violent. They did not believe he could be capable of murdering someone, let alone a police officer.

STORY: Man accused of shooting Detroit police officers suffers from mental illness, niece says

Craig said Thursday afternoon two officers who were shot the night before are in stable condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

The officers were rushed to the hospital Wednesday night after the west-side shooting. One officer was shot in the ankle and twice in his armored vest. The other officer was shot once in the neck.

They were taken to the hospital in critical condition, but were in stable condition by Thursday morning. They remain in stable condition.

Craig spoke outside the hospital Thursday afternoon, explaining one of them is in "more stable" condition than the other, who will have to undergo several surgeries.

READ: Detroit police chief: Man 'aggressively' tried to kill officers in shooting Wednesday night

The officer who was shot in the neck is a 44-year-old veteran of the force. He has several surgeries scheduled Thursday, the chief said.

The officer who was shot in the ankle is 27 years old. It is believed the body armor saved his life.

Sgt. Rose murder case

Rose was shot in the head Nov. 22, 2016 while stopping a man on a bicycle in Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood. Rose was investigating car break-ins in the neighborhood. He died nearly 24 hours later in a hospital surrounded by family.

The 29-year-old officer was engaged to be married in October 2017.

Police thought they had his killer. DeAngelo Davis, 31, was arrested Nov. 22 and charged with shooting and killing Rose. He was charged Nov. 25 with first-degree murder, a felony firearms violation, murder of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

But the charges against Davis were dropped after surveillance video revealed that Davis was in a local business at the time of the shooting, sources close to the investigation said.

WATCH: K9 officers gather outside slain Wayne State officer's visitation

"All murder charges against DeAngelo Davis will be dismissed today," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. "He is no longer a suspect at this time. As you can imagine, the officers from the task force, including the Michigan State Police and the Detroit Police Department, have been working diligently and literally, literally around the clock, along with members of my office on this case."

Detroit police released surveillance video of a person who they believe might have witnessed the deadly shooting. Watch here.

MORE: New evidence released in WSU Sgt. Collin Rose's fatal shooting in Detroit

Police in January released images of a flashlight and a bicycle that they believe were used by the shooter. View here.


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.