Detroit police investigating multiple high profile crimes from over the weekend
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit police are investigating multiple high-profile crimes from over the weekend, including the separate shooting deaths of an 8-year-old and a 19-year-old, as well as the death of the wife of the CEO of Eastern Market.
Detroit Police Chief James White said this weekend that yet another child was killed due to an adult not securing their firearm. An 8-year-old boy was shot and killed inside his home Saturday night after he and another child found an unsecured gun.
"How many times do we have to be here with this, with these babies and these guns? Everybody's tougher with a gun, but it comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility," said White.
The shooting happened around 10:30 on Saturday night at a home on Ward Avenue in northwest Detroit. The 8-year-old was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
"And we don't know enough to say whether or not the 8-year-old shot himself or if another kid shot him. We're close. But it's extraordinarily tragic. There's no good news out of this at all."
White said the department is pursuing charges against the adult who was illegally in possession of the gun.
They are also investigating the death of a 19-year-old who was shot in the head and killed after gunfire was exchanged between two cars on the southwest side of Detroit on Saturday afternoon.
White said a business owner in southwest Detroit was leaving his business near Livernois around 2 p.m. on Saturday when he saw a dark-colored Dodge Charger with four males inside. The man said one of the males was hanging out of the car window holding a gun.
The business owner said that car was traveling eastbound, so he drove westbound, but the Charger turned around to get behind him and then fired shots at him.
The business owner said he returned fire and then pulled over with a flat tire and called the police. The Dodge Charger then drove to Henry Ford Hospital with a male who was shot in the head. The 19-year-old from Ecorse was pronounced dead.
Police investigated the Dodge Charger and found a number of rounds that were fired from inside the car. They have not yet been able to determine if any of the rounds were fired from the outside. Inside the car, they recovered a rifle and two types of shell casings.
"Our evidence techs are processing the vehicle now. They're putting rods into the bullet holes to see if they're entry holes, exit holes. And we're still trying to piece this case together," said White.
Detroit police are also investigating the death of Vivian Carmody. She and her husband, the CEO of Eastern Market, were hit by a car while walking to dinner in Detroit Friday night around 5:30 pm.
White said the suspect, a 29-year-old from Romulus, was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics when he crossed the median and drive onto the sidewalk hitting the couple.
"He went through what appears to be a possible overdose as he was driving, and he lost control of the vehicle. He had to be given Narcan and transported to the hospital."
White said the driver is in custody, and they are seeking homicide charges against him.
