DTE Energy Worker Shot In Head, Chest On Detroit's West Side
DETROIT (WWJ) - A DTE Energy employee was preparing to go to work Wednesday morning when he was shot multiple times outside of his home.
The incident happened at a home in the 20000 block of Warrington Street, near 8 Mile Road and Livernois Avenue on Detroit's west side.
Police Captain Kenneth Balinski said several shots were fired, although circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
"He was not working. He was at home, warming up his car," Balinski said. "Neighbors said that they heard shots, approximately five, and then a black car speeding south down Warrington, and that's all we have right now."
Reporting live from the scene, WWJ's Vickie Thomas said the 48-year-old victim received multiple gunshot wounds, including to the head, chest and shoulder. He was rushed to Sinai-Grace Hospital and was last reported in critical condition.
Kevin Marchese, who lives on Warrington, said it almost appears as if his neighbor was ambushed.
"He's a good worker, a decent enough fellow. He's not a trouble maker or anything like that so I don't know why they did this," he said. "But apparently he had gotten into his van, so that his driver's side door was open and that's in the street, somebody shot him at that time, because that window is not blown out."
Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said the sound of the gunshots really startled her.
"We looked down there and he was laying down and then we saw him struggle to get up, and we called EMS," she said.
Marchese said he and other residents in the typically quiet Green Acres neighborhood aren't sure why someone would want to hurt their neighbor.
"Overall, this is a really nice neighborhood. This isn't a place where shootings occur, and I've been here five years. So, I would suspect he's been personally targeted, maybe for robbery, maybe for murder," he said.
No arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing.
DTE Energy is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the shooting of the DTE employee.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact DTE Energy's Crime Tip Hotline at 313-235-9119 or the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-1640. Callers can remain anonymous.
Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.
