A block party in Detroit, Michigan, turned deadly early Sunday morning when a shooter opened fire, killing two people and injuring 17 others. The police are still hunting the suspect.
The shooting occurred at 2:25 a.m. on the city's east side, as reported by NBC affiliate WDIV . Authorities reported that two individuals were fatally shot and 18 others, including the shooter, were injured. The victims' ages range from 17 to 28 years old.
The deceased has been identified as a 20-year-old woman who suffered a gunshot wound to the head and a 21-year-old man who was shot in the back. The woman was declared dead at the scene of the shooting, while the man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
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A 17-year-old is reportedly in critical condition, and several people are in surgery, say authorities.
The Michigan State Police confirmed the fatalities in a statement released on X on Sunday. "The Michigan State Police is assisting the Detroit Police Department on a shooting investigation through our partnership on the Homicide Task Force," the state police announced.
The shooting took place in an area known for deadly gun violence - the 48205 ZIP code, is referred to as the "Red Zone" by the Seven Mile Bloods Street Gang, according to Newsweek .
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“The problem is the normalcy of these shootings,” Detroit Police Commissioner Ricardo Moore said, according to the Detroit News . “Come Jan. 1, the police will say crime is down, and then we’ll start all over again. Funeral homes, hospitals and florist are the only people who profit from Detroit crime.”
Detroit police released few details, confirming the shooting on a residential block on Detroit's east side left two people dead. But a police statement Sunday afternoon did not specify the number of people injured or the circumstances of the shooting. "At this time, investigators and forensic personnel are analyzing all available evidence and will be continuing their work through the weekend," police said in a Sunday statement.
Police said a Monday news conference with Police Chief James White and Mayor Mike Duggan would detail a "comprehensive new strategy regarding block parties."
Detroit Police Cpl. Dan Donakowski, a department spokesman, declined further comment. Duggan's spokesman John Roach said the mayor would be at Monday's news conference about "block club party safety strategy" but declined to comment on the shooting.
The shooting comes amid a violent holiday weekend nationwide. Violence and mass shootings often surge in the summer months, especially around the Fourth of July. Researchers say the reason is a combination of factors, including more social events and more alcohol consumption.
State Rep. Mai Xiong, who represents the district where the shooting took place, said she was "heartbroken."
"During what should have been a joyous celebration during Independence Day weekend, we are instead faced with a devastating reminder that gun violence is hitting too close to home, right in our own backyards," she said in a statement.
The Michigan State Police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
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