A detroit block party Mayor Mike Duggan said at a press conference Monday that the shooting that erupted Sunday left two people dead and 19 young people injured. It was “a level of violence we rarely see anymore.”
Three people were killed and 24 injured in unsanctioned street parties over the holiday weekend, including Sunday’s violence, authorities said.
In the incident, people ranging in age from 17 to 27 were hit by gunfire about 2:25 a.m. in the Mohican Regent neighborhood on the 13000 block of Rossini near Gratiot Avenue, police said. Fox 2 Detroit,
About 100 spent shell casings and nine guns were found at the party, including one with a Glock switch, Detroit Police Chief James White said.
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A Detroit police officer collects evidence at the scene of a Detroit block party where two people were killed and 19 injured over the weekend. (WJBK)
The victims killed at that party included a 21-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman. One man remained in critical condition Monday, while the 17 other victims were expected to recover.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said at a press conference Monday that police are still investigating and no arrests have been made.
“I know many of you are here to hear the alleged facts and circumstances of the events that occurred last weekend — we’re not going to talk about them because the investigation is ongoing,” Worthy said. “I want to emphasize the fact that … this was a large party, there’s a lot of evidence to look into, a lot of investigation to be done. Please don’t expect anything to happen quickly.”
ShootoutS These are the latest incidents to hit the community in recent weeks, and White said these parties are just the latest in a trend of large-scale, unpermitted block parties that the city is looking to curb.
“I want to be clear. We are not going to allow our neighbors to be held hostage in their own homes this heat,” Duggan said.
“We want the public’s help in shutting down illegal block parties before they become problems,” White said. “Anyone who sees an unpermitted block party, or one that is spilling into front yards or parking illegally on streets, sidewalks or lawns, should immediately call 911. Please work with us to keep your neighborhood safe.”
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Detroit police are shown collecting evidence at the crime scene. (WJBK)
White said DPD will be forming a neighborhood response team to keep an eye out for these illegal parties, and at least one locked car from each police precinct will be roaming neighborhoods every Thursday through the weekend.
A team of 80 officers will be assigned to detect illegal block parties, issue warnings and shut down the events. Calls involving unauthorized block parties have been placed in “priority one” status, meaning those calls will receive an immediate response from police. Previously, these calls were placed in priority two or three status if no one was hurt, White said.
Police are focusing on disorderly conduct, illegal parking, and anything that disrupts normal traffic in an area — but more serious crimes, such as illegal carrying of weapons, will also be looked at.
Duggan said partygoers and property owners — not partygoers — will be targeted under the new enforcement initiative. He clarified that permits are not required for parties held in homes and backyards.
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Two people were killed and 19 injured at a Detroit block party. (WJBK)
“I want to make sure we can distinguish between a legal party and an illegal party,” Duggan said. “In the city of Detroit, we enjoy the summer… Backyard barbecues are a tradition in Detroit… Neighborhood street parties are a prerequisite in the city, and as longtime Detroit residents know, you can go to the police department and get a permit… We want to see enjoyable events like this continue throughout the summer without incident.”
“This is not ‘your neighbor’s family’s big party’ — these are intentionally preplanned events designed to attract people from miles around, by people who are coming here with illegal weapons and planning to party late into the evening, confident that neighbors and the police department will not stop the lawless gatherings,” Duggan said.
Police intend to warn party hosts if they haven’t obtained a permit for their event. Duggan said if they don’t, they could be arrested and possibly face up to 90 days in jail.
“Block parties used to be good, clean fun,” Worthy said. “But now, many of them have become sites of death, fear, violence and destruction. Should we regulate them? No. Should we? Absolutely, yes.”
“This is not normal,” area activist Sandra Turner Handy said of Sunday’s attack, Fox 2 reports. “We have to be proactive about this. We have to be in the community and inspire residents to fight against this type of violence.”
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield called Sunday’s incident an “unspeakable tragedy” and “yet another reminder that gun violence is a serious problem.” Epidemic in Detroit And all over the country.”
“We must forge a new course of action and I call on everyone to work together to end the senseless killings and destruction of families in our community,” she wrote in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, took to X to comment on the shooting.
“Today was another senseless shooting that has torn apart families in our community,” he wrote. “We have a responsibility to our families to address this crisis immediately. We need to save lives now.”
