Mass shooting in Detroit linked to dispute over ‘cell phones’, community details violence

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Three people are dead and four others were injured after a fight turned deadly at a home on Detroit’s west side near Prest Street and Eaton Avenue.

Community Violence Response officials say the conflict may have started over a cell phone.

Detroit police said a ShotSpotter alert came in shortly after 7:20 a.m. Sunday, followed by a call to 911. Officers arrived within four minutes and found three men with fatal gunshot wounds. Four other victims – two men and two women – were taken to private hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Watch Faraz Javed’s video report below:

3 dead, 4 injured in west Detroit shooting linked to cellphone dispute

Tamara Smith, community violence response manager, said the outcome of the conflict was avoidable.

“This is a mass shooting that happened because of something simple: a cell phone. We have three deaths, four non-fatal injuries, but a total of seven because of a cell phone,” Smith said.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison described how the violence unfolded.

“A fight occurred, an altercation occurred, and as a result, individuals decided to resolve the issue with gun violence,” Bettison said.

One of the victims was identified by family as 45-year-old Ansley Harris Jr. His cousin, Janelle Harris, said she saw him just days before he was killed.

“I love him. You need anything, he was like, he’s good,” Janelle Harris said.

Photo provided by family

Janelle Harris said the family is committed to honoring him.

“Ansley, we love you. And we’re going to send you away, sweetheart,” she said.

Neighbors say trouble was brewing in the house before Sunday’s shooting. One resident, who asked to be identified only as Alex and not be filmed for fear of retaliation, described what he observed in the days leading up to the shooting.

“Early morning, noise, lots of cars, lots of people coming in and out, lots of fighting,” he said.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison, Mayor Mary Sheffield and other leaders provide information in the video below:

Detroit police chief and leaders speak out after mass shooting

Alex said the situation had been getting worse for at least two days and neighbors had already contacted authorities.

“The last couple of days it’s been a problem and a lot of us have been calling,” Alex said.

At a news conference, Bettison said investigators believed the house operated as an after-hours venue, asking reporters to imagine a strip club. He said the address had a history of calls for service.

“Since the beginning of this year, we have received seven calls for service to this address. I will let you know that I have also conducted an investigation into this address,” the chief said.

Alex said he was sitting on his porch Sunday morning when he heard the situation escalating before the shooting began.

“I heard screaming between several women, it sounded like, then louder and louder, then it became threats – so I’m going to kill you, I’m going to shoot you, this and that,” he said.

Alex said he then heard about 12 shots fired in rapid succession.

“I heard maybe 12. It was one after the other very quickly,” he said.

Smith said the loss of life was unnecessary.

“Physical violence exists. Gun violence does not need to be manifested. This could have been handled in a completely different way when people could have gone home,” Smith said.

Police say they have leads, but do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

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