Police On Hunt For Suspect In Detroit Fireworks Shooting
DETROIT (WWJ) - There is no one in custody, according to Detroit police, in connection with a shooting in a crowd gathered for the city's big fireworks show Monday night.
Updating reporters on the case Tuesday, Police Chief James Craig said investigators are now searching for a suspect whom they believe to be the gunman.
Two people were taken into questioning after gunfire rang out near the Spirit of Detroit statue about five minutes before the fireworks show began. Both have since been released, Craig said.
Craig said the victim — a woman in her 40s who was shot in the hip — was an innocent bystander. She is now listed in stable condition.
"And this is what oftentimes happens," the chief said. "There's a dispute between two groups or individuals and someone makes the dumb decision to take out a firearm and use it, and predictably someone who's not even involved gets struck by gunfire."
There was a heavy police presence at the time, Craig said, and a weapon was recovered at the scene. He did not release any details about the wanted suspect.
"At this time we can't call it gang activity," Craig added. "It was certainly a dispute with groups of young people, some who we believe are minors. And so we don't know what the dispute was over; we just know that there was a dispute and that it resulted in violence."
Police are also investigating another unrelated shooting following the fireworks in which a young man and woman were wounded during an altercation in the area of Ford and Cass. The injuries in that shooting, which Craig said happened "outside of the fireworks zone" are non-life threatening.
Suspects are also still being sought in that case.
