DETROIT (WWJ) — Detroit police are offering a $10,000 reward as the investigation into a mass shooting last month that left two people dead and 19 injured.
Gunfire erupted around 2:30 a.m. on July 7 in the area of Rossini and Reno during what police officials say was an illegal street party.
Detroit police on Thursday issued a number of updates in the case, confirming that the shooting was gang-related and one of the victims who was killed was the intended target.
A video produced by the Detroit Police Department and shared Thursday showed the 911 calls received by the call center prior to the incident, as well as privately taken photos and videos of suspects in the case.
The video shows police received a 911 call around 1:30 a.m. from a man who lives near Reno and Rossini, saying there were about 100 people partying on the block. A DPD supervisor then responded to the party and “made at least one notification regarding the event taking place.” At that time, according to Assistant Detroit Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald, other DPD units were tied up at another location for a different illegal block party.
A second 911 caller referencing the party said they called about 30 minutes prior to request the party be broken up, reporting that some kids may be fighting, and the dispatcher said a unit had been requested.
In a third 911 call received at 2:25 a.m. a volley of gunshots can be heard as the caller tells the dispatcher there’s an estimated 350 people outside.
Officers arrived about 10 minutes later, according to Fitzgerald, and found multiple people who had been shot.
The DPD video includes surveillance footage from the neighborhood showing a group of apparent suspects arriving to the party. It also includes footage of a fight taking place on a sidewalk before a large crowd suddenly scatters when shots rang out.
Police shared grainy images of one of the shooters firing into the crowd.
Fitzgerald said many victims had already been privately taken to the hospital before first responders arrived. Anyone who wasn’t was taken via ambulance.
The assistant chief said the Homicide Task Force and Gang Intelligence Unit are working together on the case. He said investigators “have information that specific individuals were specifically targeted,” but “unfortunately there were other victims that got caught in this crossfire.”
Police have identified multiple persons of interest, but Fitzgerald said they are not cooperating with investigators.
Nine guns were covered from the scene, one was found to be stolen and one was equipped with a Glock switch, according to Fitzgerald.
The video shared Thursday also details the department's new protocols for dealing with illegal block parties, which includes a dedicated neighborhood response team and responding to all reports of illegal block parties as "priority 1" calls. DPD says it will also now seek charges against property owners who host illegal parties and continue to make sure the public knows there are protocols to host block parties.
DPD is seeking the cooperation and help of the community and asking anyone who knows something about the shooting to call Detroit Police Homicide investigators at 313-596-2260, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or submit a tip at Detroit Rewards.TV.
As always, all Crime Stoppers and Detroit Rewards TV tipsters will remain anonymous.
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