DETROIT (WWJ) A Detroit Police officer is under investigation for accidentally shooting two innocent bystanders while trying to break up an 'active shooter situation' at a summer block party on the city's west side, police said.
In a Wednesday afternoon press conference; Interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said Michigan State Police ballistic analysis received a day earlier revealed two women, now 20 and 23, were injured by shots fired by the officer during a "large block party" on June 1st.
Bettison said officers arrived at the scene of what one 911 caller described as a "massive shootout" on Trinity at Florence, in the area of McNichols and Grand River, around 1:50 a.m.
"The scene was very chaotic, the scene was loud. People were screaming, some were in distress," Bettison said.
Police ultimately recovered eight firearms and 93 shell casings from the scene, according to Bettison.
He said an officer, while checking around the house, encountered two armed subjects—one with a handgun and the other with an "AR-style type rifle, similar to an AK-47 assault rifle." The officer issued a verbal command to the armed subjects to drop their guns.
The officer fired "approximately five rounds" from her department-issued weapon and struck one of the subjects, according to Bettison.
Officers apprehended the subject injured by gunfire inside his house "a short time later." They rendered first aid, applied a tourniquet and "…saved his life."
"In a scene like this, the officers were only on scene for less than a minute, split second decisions had to be made," Bettison said. "Officers were left to deal with the armed assailant standing amidst innocent party goers."
On Tuesday, November 26th; Detroit Police received "conclusive" information from a Michigan State Police ballistic analysis, obtained from the subject struck by gunfire, that revealed bullets from the officer's weapon had injured the two "unintended targets."
Both women were treated at the hospital and released. No further information was given on the extent of their injuries.
Bettison said the officer has approximately eight years with the force, with no violations in her job history.
"The officer feared for her life," he said.
After learning the new information; the officer was placed on "no gun status." Detroit Police will submit a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, as is standard in any officer-involved shooting investigation.
"In those block parties when you have 4 or 5 hundred people, and an active shooter...you have multiple people firing weapons. And if someone takes a target at our officers, it's going to be hard to defend themselves and also not hit an innocent bystander. It's just so condensed."
According to Bettison; investigators continue to collect evidence, interview witnesses and review video footage. More information is expected to be released at a later date.
