Overview

Detroit police are investigating multiple violent incidents that occurred over the weekend, including a deadly shooting outside a liquor store on the city's east side and a separate quadruple shooting. A 15-year-old suspect is in custody in connection with the fatal shooting, which left one woman dead and another in critical condition.

The shooting took place around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, August 21, in the 15500 block of East Warren Avenue in the Morningside neighborhood, according to police reports. Officers responded to the scene and found two women suffering from gunshot wounds. One woman, later identified as 57-year-old Faith Williams, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other woman, described as Williams' niece, was taken to a local hospital and was listed in critical condition as of Saturday morning.

Police said the suspect, a 15-year-old boy, arrived at the liquor store and opened fire as the victims were entering, then fled on foot. He was taken into custody on Saturday morning. A warrant request has been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, according to Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison.

Official Statements and Community Response

In a statement, Chief Bettison expressed condolences and acknowledged the difficulty of understanding the shooting. "We may not ever know why he did what he did, but we do know that the family is grieving, and we will support them in their time of loss. There is no reason that can justify this pain," he said.

The victims' family has responded with a message of forgiveness. Lucinda Pearson, speaking on behalf of the family, said, "We also ask that you pray for the young man who did this because we never know what's on people's mind, and although it's tragic, if God forgives us, we not to forgive him for any sin that we commit."

The shooting has drawn attention on social media, with some unconfirmed reports suggesting the attack may have been random. People who knew the suspect have claimed that he has not been the same since recently losing his mother, though these statements have not been verified by police. The motive remains unclear.

Other Weekend Incidents

Police are also investigating a separate shooting on Haverhill Street, where four people, including a 10-year-old boy, were injured in a drive-by shooting around five hours earlier on Friday. That incident occurred on the 3700 block of Haverhill Street, about a mile southeast of the East Warren Avenue shooting. All four victims survived, but one woman remains in critical condition. No suspect information has been released in that case.

In a third incident, a well-being check on Thursday on Stoepel Street led officers to discover a 14-year-old boy and a 50-year-old woman dead inside a home, in what police believe was a murder-suicide. The following day, investigators returned to the residence after learning that the woman's husband had not been seen in years and found skeletal remains in the basement. Police believe all three were family members and died from apparent gunshot wounds.

Call for Public Assistance

Chief Bettison urged the public to report concerns and look out for one another, saying, "If something doesn't seem right or doesn't feel right, I encourage and urge everyone to speak up. We have to check on each other, look out for one another, work together to prevent tragedies like this from happening before they happen."

Authorities have asked anyone with information about the East Warren shooting to contact the Detroit Police Department's Homicide Unit at 313-596-5260. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that helps the investigation, and tipsters must reference case No. 2608210409. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-773-2587.

For information on the Haverhill Street shooting, police ask the public to call 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-773-2587.