Detroit activist calls for more cameras, patrols in light of shooting on Lodge Freeway
(CBS DETROIT) - A community activist from Detroit is calling on police to do more to protect drivers on freeways.
The push is in light of a shooting on the Lodge Freeway where a man was shot multiple times Monday.
It happened at about 4 p.m. near W. Grand Boulevard. Michigan State Police are investigating whether it was a case of road rage.
"I'm starting to really get frustrated with it," said community activist Pastor Mo.
Pastor Mo believes more cameras and patrols are needed to reduce the violence.
"It's about protecting lives," he said. "We can't ignore and say it's more violence on the top of the freeways because there's always going to be violence on top of the freeway, but we never had this type of violence on the freeway. That has to be addressed."
Shootings on freeways have been a problem since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to MSP, there were 59 shootings in 2020 and 2021. Data for 2022 wasn't readily available.
In response to the violence, the Detroit Police Department created Operation Brison, named after 2-year-old Brison Christian who was shot and killed on Interstate 75 two years ago.
Thirty different law enforcement agencies came together as part of the initiative to reduce the violence on freeways.
CBS News Detroit reached out to DPD to get more details on the operation and was told to expect an update tomorrow.
MSP Lt. Mike Shaw says the department is patrolling Metro Detroit freeways. He said the department is using strategically placed cameras to assist them in investigations, which includes cameras from the Project Green Light program
But Shaw says many of the shootings are a result of road rage, which is hard to pinpoint.
"A random event where someone gets mad because of the silliness of not using a turn signal is pretty tough to find," he said.
Shaw says violence on freeways is a problem that police won't be able to solve alone. He said law enforcement needs to get help from the community as well.
"We're all one big community. Be it us, faith-based, the neighborhood watches, all that. We need to work together to reduce crime as a whole," he said.
As for the shooting that happened on the Lodge Freeway, Shaw said investigators did collect evidence on the scene. They are still working to do more interviews to get to the bottom of what happened.
Shaw said MSP is confident the person responsible will be arrested.