Earlier this afternoon, two people wearing masks pulled up in a green minivan to the Shell gas station (17720 W. Warren) and started shooting. When it was all done, at least 5 teenagers were shot, although some reports have put the number of victims as high as 7.No one is in custody at this moment.
More on this as the story develops.
UPDATE @ 3:59 p.m.
WXYZ-TV is reporting that each of the shooting victims have been identified and the Detroit Public Schools are notifying their parents. The victims range in age from 14 - 17.
UPDATE @ 5:38 p.m.
Both WDIV-TV and WXYZ-TV are reporting that both of the shooters in this case were dressed in black t-shirts and black pants. Assuming that they also wore black shoes, this would likely indicate that they were members of one of the drug gangs that have been operating in Warrendale for several months.
Also, the Detroit Police Department has confirmed that there were a total of 7 victims in this shooting - 3 males and 4 females. 5 of these individuals are students. All of them have been taken to area hospitals for treatment.
There are still news choppers overhead.
UPDATE @ 7:51 p.m.
The news choppers are gone now. WDIV-TV still has one of their vans parked across the street from the crime scene. The police are gone as well.
Other than that one news van, the corner looks so much like it did this morning that it's actually a little eerie. I feel like the place should look different now that 7 teens have been shot at that spot.
The one bit of good news that I can share is that the Detroit Police Department has reportedly found the green minivan that was used in this shooting. It was almost certainly stolen. Hopefully, they'll be able to find a few clues in it to find and convict those responsible for this atrocity.
UPDATE @ 10:58 p.m.
Since my most recent update, I have learned that 5 of the 7 victims in this shooting were students in the summer school program at Cody High School's 9th Grade Academy (7350 Southfield Fwy.). The other 2 teens reportedly were not students.
The Detroit Police Department has reportedly obtained the security tapes from the Shell gas station near where this shooting took place. They hope to find some clues as to the identity of the shooters, their motive for a shooting or both.
Finally, there is at least a rumor in the neighborhood as to the motive for this senseless shooting. I have heard reports that an argument of some sort happened between two of the female victims of the massacre this afternoon and another woman. This other woman than reportedly made a phone call to her boyfriend. That boyfriend then drove to where he knew the two victims would be so that he could settle this grudge with gunfire.
The other 5 victims in this shooting were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Detroit Free Press is reporting a similar version of events, where the shooting was the result of a fight that happen yesterday at the school.
Amongst the worst jobs in the world has gotta be the person notifying the parents.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how we affix such official- and proper- sounding terms to such grim tasks.