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Detroit police investigating busy weekend of 'extremely violent' crimes

Posted at 6:21 PM, Aug 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-09 19:30:04-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Interim Detroit Police Chief James White gave the news media updates on major cases from over the weekend on Monday.

A drag racing and “drifting” incident on East Grand Boulevard at Milwaukee ended with an officer-involved fatal shooting. Chief White said two officers were working undercover in an undercover vehicle when a stolen Dodge Charger with a Hemi engine crashed into their car.

RELATED: Police shoot, kill suspect after incident stemming from drag racing on Detroit's east side

One officer kicked the door open to get out and came in contact with a passenger inside the Dodge who pulled a gun. The officer shot the suspect who later died.

Chief White says some 200 cars were involved in street racing at this incident.

In another Sunday evening incident, Chief White says two groups of teens got into a shootout that started with a dispute over social media.

The chief would not say what the original dispute was about but said it was not gang-related. A 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds were injured but not with life-threatening injuries. Chief White says the shooting happened outside of a football game with hundreds of people watching.

RELATED: Police investigating after 3 teens shot at football game in Detroit

The game was not part of PAL, the Police Athletic League, but a break-off group that separated last summer. Six people were arrested and guns recovered in that incident in the area of Boston and Martindale on the west side.

Police are still looking for a brown Jeep Grand Cherokee with Michigan plate: EZK8554. Witnesses said they saw the driver throw long guns into the vehicle before speeding off.

In a third incident, Chief White said a video on social media shows a Detroit scout car in the middle of a crowd and a young woman dancing on top of the car. The chief said the officer was wise not to drive off through the crowd of hundreds of people or arrest the woman who was on the car for disorderly conduct, but he also said the incident is still being reviewed.