3 dead and 24 injured in 6 shootings at street festivals in Detroit – what the authorities intend to do about it

DETROIT – Six recent shootings at Detroit street festivals left three people dead and 24 others injured, and authorities said they have a plan to reverse the trend.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit Police Chief James White, Wayne County Attorney Kym Worthy and community leaders spoke about the street party issue on Monday, July 8, 2024.

What happened on Sunday?

At around 2:25 a.m. on Sunday morning, shots were fired during a street festival in the area of Reno Street and Rossini Drive on Detroit’s east side.

White said officers were responding to a shooting at another street festival at the time. That festival was attended by more than 300 people.

When police learned of the party at Reno and Rossini’s, they went there and found several gunshot victims and bullet casings.

White said Monday that more than 100 shell casings were found. Police seized nine weapons, including one with a Glock switch that made it fire automatically.

There were 63 ShotSpotter reports on the shooting. Several houses were linked to the party.

Police believe that more than 300 people attended this party. Several people fired shots, but no arrests had been made as of Monday morning.

Very few details have been released about the investigation as police and prosecutors prepare their investigations for possible charges.

White said there were no significant problems during the Ford fireworks, the NFL Draft, the Taylor Swift concert or the Beyonce concert, so these parties are examples of people coming to Detroit to cause trouble.

Victims of the street party on Sunday

Here are details of the 21 people shot at the street festival on Sunday:

A 20-year-old woman was killed.
A 21-year-old man was killed.
A 17-year-old girl is in critical condition.
The condition of a 16-year-old girl is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 17-year-old girl is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 17-year-old boy is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 17-year-old boy is temporarily serious.
The condition of an 18-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of an 18-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 19-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 20-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 20-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 21-year-old man is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 21-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 21-year-old man is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 26-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 27-year-old woman is temporarily serious.
The condition of a 20-year-old woman is stable.
The condition of a 22-year-old man is stable.
The condition of a 24-year-old woman is stable.
A 21-year-old woman is injured and in an unspecified condition.

The victims of the shooting include 11 people from Detroit, two each from Clinton Township, Eastpointe and Warren, and one each from St. Clair Shores, Oak Park, Taylor and Southfield.

Trend towards shootings at street festivals

Duggan began his press conference on Monday by revealing that there were shootings at six different street festivals in Detroit during the three-day period from July 4 to July 6.

He said a total of three people were killed and 24 others injured.

Duggan said these parties typically attract hundreds of people from all over, some from more than 50 miles away.

“It’s not like, ‘Your neighbor’s family’s party was big,'” Duggan said.

People would bring illegal weapons and plan to party until the early hours of the morning, the mayor said.

“We have individuals who have decided to organize spontaneous parties in the neighborhood without the neighbors knowing, with instant direct messaging and people coming from far away,” Duggan said.

White said 911 has received more than 500 calls about street parties since May.

Organizers try to keep illegal street parties secret by sending messages asking people to direct message them for more information.

Police target organizers and hosts

Duggan and White both said they will take much tougher action against the organizers of these events and the owners of the buildings where the events take place.

Disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct are violations of city ordinance and can result in 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.

“It is a violation of city ordinance to engage in public disorder, to conduct oneself disorderly,” Duggan said. “It carries a 90-day jail sentence and we will arrest the organizers of these large, illegal parties and prosecute the organizer and the property owners for public disorder.”

In some cases, organizing or holding such events could constitute a criminal offense, Duggan said, and the matter would then be referred to Wayne County.

Duggan said it was not the officers’ intention to pursue partygoers.

How to host a legal street party in Detroit

Duggan said there is a way to legally hold a street festival in Detroit. He said authorities want residents to enjoy the summer while being safe.

To hold a legal street party, obtain a permit from the Detroit Police Department to close a street. You need the approval of at least 75% of the residents on that block.

Parties can last until 10pm. Police will coordinate with event organizers to ensure the situation remains legal and under control.

“We want these kinds of joyous events to happen without incident for the rest of the summer,” Duggan said. “That’s not what we’re talking about here.”

Neighborhood parties are legal and do not require a permit as long as they are limited to a house or backyard and the music and noise do not unreasonably disturb neighbors.

Click here to view the application for a legal block party.

When street parties become illegal

Street parties become illegal when partygoers loiter in public areas or obstruct traffic.

Music and noise violations can be punished at any time, but are punished more severely after 10 p.m.

If cars are parked on sidewalks or lawns or illegally on the street because of a large party, that party is against the rules.

Persons under 16 years of age are not allowed to stay without a legal guardian after 10 p.m., and persons under 18 years of age are not allowed to stay without a legal guardian after 11 p.m.

When to call 911

Duggan and police are asking the public for help in locating street parties that may get out of control.

Residents who notice parties forming should call 911 as soon as possible.

“You know the difference between your neighbor’s family getting a little loud and lots of strangers showing up on your street, parking on the lawn and sidewalk, blocking your driveway, underage children standing outside after curfew and loud noise in the neighborhood,” Duggan said. “You know the difference. Call 911. Call early. The police will be there.

“We will not allow neighbors to be held hostage in their own homes this summer. That’s exactly what happens when someone looks up and sees cars streaming into their neighborhood and blocking their street. When they can’t sleep because of the noise, just waiting for the gunshots to go off, wondering if they’re in danger.”

What the police are planning

Detroit police are creating a neighborhood response team to keep an eye out for illegal street parties.

White said that starting every Thursday, at least one decommissioned car from each county will drive through neighborhoods looking for evidence of these parties. This will begin immediately.

Police focus on disturbing the peace, illegal parking and anything that disrupts the normal flow of traffic in an area. More serious offenses such as carrying illegal weapons are also prosecuted.

A central team of 80 police officers will be deployed to prevent threats from illegal street parties. They will track them down, issue warnings and stop certain events.

Calls about street parties have reached priority level “one,” meaning officers respond to these calls immediately.

In the past, calls about street parties could have been priority two or three, provided no one was injured or in danger.

On weekends, special police units immediately respond to emergency calls regarding street parties.

“We are asking the public to help stop illegal street parties in the early stages before problems arise,” White said. “Anyone who sees an unauthorized street party or one that is extending into the front yard or illegally parked on the street, sidewalks or lawn, call 911 immediately. DPD will treat this as a high priority call. Please work with us to keep your neighborhoods safe.”

Detroit police plan to issue warnings to hosts and owners if a party is illegal. They will ask them to end the party.

“Block parties used to be good, clean fun,” Worthy said. “But today many of them are scenes of death, fear, violence and destruction. Should we need to regulate them? No. Do we? Absolutely, yes.”

Detroit City Code

Here is Detroit’s disorderly conduct ordinance:

“It is prohibited for any person to cause or contribute to noise, disturbance, or unreasonable distraction or commotion, thereby disturbing the peace and order of the neighborhood..”

Here is Detroit’s city ordinance on disturbing the peace:

“No licensee under this article shall cause any noise, disturbance, or undue distraction or commotion or disturbance, or contribute to disturbing the peace and order of the neighborhood..”

Full briefing

You can watch Monday’s full briefing in the video below.