Detroit — A 19-year-old suspect with a pistol was shot Monday by a police officer more than three hours before the Ford Fireworks in downtown Detroit and is expected to survive, Detroit police communications director Jasmin Barmore said Tuesday.
The shooting came as Detroit police issued an estimated 180 curfew tickets to juveniles on Monday when the city hosted its annual fireworks downtown.
“We had a large juvenile presence that showed up. It was a good event,” Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison told City Council Tuesday morning, referring to the Ford Fireworks event.
Monday’s shooting marks the second consecutive year that gunfire rang out downtown ahead of the fireworks show. Last year, two people were hurt after police said a 19-year-old man opened fire after getting involved in a fight with a 17-year-old.
What led to the police shooting
The incident began when police arrested a 19-year-old around 6:30 p.m. who was found with a weapon. A backpack was recovered with a Draco AK-style rifle, Barmore said Tuesday.
During the arrest, another individual from the group began walking away from the area with his hands tucked in a way that gave officers reason to believe that individual was armed as well, Barmore said Monday.
The person fled on foot, and an officer, “fearing for his life and for the safety of the public,” fired at the person, Barmore said. The teen, whom police didn’t identify, was struck by bullets several times, she said.
The Detroit Police Department didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether the shot teen had a license for the pistol.
Under the administration of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the police department promised to release YouTube videos of each officer-involved shooting within 45 days of the incident, although the independent Board of Police Commissioners wanted the videos released more quickly. The “Critical Incident Community Briefings” involve any officer-involved shootings or uses of force that result in residents sustaining serious injuries or death.
Detroit City Council member Mary Waters pointed out during the Tuesday council meeting that the age of the teen shot by a police officer Monday, as well as the 19-year-old arrested for having a weapon, was above the age limit of the city curfew.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
ghunter@detroitnews.com
Staff Writer Louis Aguilar contributed.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit teen shot by police had pistol, is expected to survive, police say
Reporting by Max Reinhart and George Hunter, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Max Reinhart and George Hunter, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
