DETROIT (WWJ) - One adult and two minors were taken into custody after a routine traffic stop turned dangerous in Detroit late Thursday night, officials said.
Detroit police said via WXYZ that officers had attempted to pull over a driver for having improper plates on their vehicle in Southwest Detroit sometime before 10 p.m., but instead of stopping, the driver accelerated at "a high rate of speed."
Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald told WXYZ that initially police did not pursue the driver as the traffic stop was over a minor infraction, but the situation changed when someone in the vehicle rolled a rear window down and began to fire shots at the officers.
Langton reported that DPD called in assistance from the Michigan State Police. Troopers said on social media that they dispatched troopers from Metro South Post, as well as their police helicopter, Trooper 3, to the scene.
As reported by WWJ's Charlie Langton, the vehicle lead police on a wild chase through the city, driving over 100 mph at times during the pursuit, and crossed over into Dearborn, Lincoln, and Allen Park.
Troopers were able to catch up to the chase as it neared Schaefer and I-75. MSP said a passenger in the truck continued to fire multiple shots at pursuing Detroit police cars.
Fitzgerald said an officer did return fire at one point during the pursuit, but no one was hit.
MSP confirmed they used a PIT maneuver to stop the chase on northbound M-59 and Outer Drive around 10:10 p.m.
Three suspects, one adult and two minors, then bailed from the vehicle and tried to flee the scene. After a foot chase, police were able to arrest the trio, including the driver which was identified as a 14-year-old male, Langton said.
Police believe the one adult in the vehicle was responsible for firing at police. The other minor's age was not released by authorities.
Troopers said a AR-15, discovered to be stolen, was found in the truck. Another firearm, a Taurus semi-automatic pistol, was tracked by K-9 officer Koma and his human partner, Trooper Bellestri, under a tree in front of a residence in Dearborn, MSP added.
The 14-year-old suspect was out on a $800 bond after being arrested and released not 48 hours ago for allegedly shooting his girlfriend, Fitzgerald said.
"He is currently still wearing the same shirt he was arrested in," he added.
Fitzgerald expressed his concern with the teen suspect's low bond as well as with the bloom of violence that hit the city Thursday.
Detroit police and MSP were involved in an earlier incident involving another shootout and police chase with three armed carjacking suspects just before 6 p.m.
Two were taken into custody while one remains at large.
"It's horrifying. What makes it even worse is just a few hours ago we had another officer in the second precinct shot at. That's twice in one day. That enough. Can't say it enough," Fitzgerald said.
