2 Found Dead On Detroit's Lower East Side
DETROIT (WWJ) - Police in Detroit say they found the bodies of two people who apparently died of gunshot wounds on the city's lower east side Friday morning.
Police responded to a 9-1-1 call around 1:30 a.m. of shots fired outside of a home on Chatsworth Street, near the I-94 service drive just east of Outer Drive.
When they arrived, police found two victims, a man and woman in their 30s, who were shot to death in the middle of the street. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
WWJ's Vickie Thomas said a dried pool of blood could still be seen in the middle of the street hours after the bodies were removed.
A resident said he was sleeping when he heard three shots and dialed 9-1-1. The man, who did not want his name to be used, said he came outside and found a woman sitting in the front passenger seat of a minivan, her feet dangling out of the vehicle.
"She was pivoted, turned both feet on the ground, but she was slumped back with the safety belt still on. I seen her and I seen, and this is directly in front of the house here, at the corner of the service drive in the middle of the street, there was a guy sprawled out, laying face up. Both people, they were black, I'd probably say 35- to 40-years-old," he said.
The man said he checked the woman's pulse, with no response. He said he also tried to talk to the male victim.
"So, I looked down and his eyes were open and I said 'Sir are you alright, are you okay?' But no response. I nudged his leg with my foot, he was dead," he said.
That's when the man dialed 9-1-1 again to tell them both victims were dead. He said police arrived shortly after the second call.
"The man had a hole in his chest, his right chest, he was wearing a t-shirt, he had khaki shorts on, he looked as like he was going to cut some grass, you know. She looked like she was going to go out to a party," he said.
Sources say the minivan is a rental from the Chicago area, and the victims may have been targeted because of the cash they were carrying.
Sgt. Eren Stephens said the victims did not have any identification on them, so detectives are doing what they can to figure out who they are. Police say it's possible the bodies could have been dumped at the scene.
Walter Buford, who has lived on Chatsworth Street for over 23 years, said crime in the city has him concerned.
"It's getting terrible, I mean, you're almost scared to leave your house the way it is now. It's frightening," he said.
Police are awaiting autopsy results to determine an exact cause of death.
Homicide investigators are still looking into the details of the crime.
Stay with CBSDetroit.com and WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest.
