(WXYZ) — A Ferndale teen is in grave condition after he was shot while at a hotel in Southfield on Sunday, police confirm.
Southfield police say officers were called to the Westin Hotel at 1500 Town Center around 8:42 a.m. on February 11. That’s where they reportedly found the 15-year-old victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was taken to a local hospital.
"When these incidents happen, particularly with our youth, a lot of calls come into the Southfield Police Department for an explanation. I'll be very candid with you, this is very difficult to explain and I'm not in the greatest mood because of it. Because I have to explain to the community how a group of 15-year-olds are left in a hotel room unsupervised with access to weapons. We see these things play out time and time again and the story remains the same: where is the parental supervision and how do these teens get access to weapons? And so, again, I classify this as something that is totally preventable," says Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren.
Police say they believe the victim was in the room, unsupervised, with two other juveniles when he was shot. Police say they are investigating how the teens were left alone in the room, but say that an adult may have obtained the room online and then turned it over to the kids.
They believe up to five teens may have been in the room at the time.
Two handguns were found on one of the juveniles, a 15-year-old, and he was taken into police custody. Police say there are currently two counts of carrying a concealed weapon pending in the case. They believe the teen brought the concealed weapons to the hotel.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 248-796-5500 with reference case number 24-5073. If you’d like to remain anonymous, call 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
