Detroit Shootings Overnight, Off Duty Officer Wounded
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Police report an off-duty officer was shot at a gas station along Michigan Avenue, across from the site of old Tiger Stadium in the Corktown area, early Friday morning.
Police Sergeant Even Stevens said the 39-year-old officer, an 18 year veteran of the force, was at the Marathon gas station just before 3:30 a.m. when the armed 24-year-old suspect approached him.
Deputy Chief Paul Wells said they are not sure at this time whether the incident was related to a carjacking, but it is apparent there was a robbery.
"There were words exchanged, but when [the suspect] did confront the officer while he was pumping his gas, he did make demands for his items and at that point in time, he shot our officer," Wells said.
The officer received a gunshot wound to the leg. The officer returned fire, wounding the suspect.
The officer is recovering at a local hospital. The suspect was also hospitalized. Friday morning, he was listed in critical condition.
A 21-year-old Dearborn resident was at the same gas station, also pumping gas at the time.
"The officer drew his gun, fired back. The officer stumbled on the floor and the other individual ran behind my car. I was in the middle and they were shooting under the car, back and forth," the witness said.
WWJ's Marie Osborne was on the scene where investigators were trying to piece together what happened.
"From where I stand, I can see at least three rounds of bullets that were fired. Nearly two dozen shell casings are marked by police tape out by the roadway," Osborne said.
The suspect's weapon was recovered at the scene.
Also overnight, about a mile away from that gas station, two people were shot, one fatally, near Larned and Shelby outside Club Envy.
It happened around 11:25 p.m. Thursday when an argument broke out between the two victims and another group of men, according to police.
One of the men in the group pulled out a gun and fired, killing a 20-year-old man and seriously wounding his 25-year-old companion.
The perpetrators then took off in their vehicle. Police have no suspects in custody.
