DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Police Chief James Craig addressed weekend violence in the city.
Overall, Detroit had 18 shooting scenes over the weekend that resulted in 25 nonfatal shooting victims and four homicide victims, the chief said.
There were five double shooting incidents, one triple shooting incident where an adult and two children were shot and one incident, described as a mass shooting, where five people were shot.
Some of the shootings took place at block parties that occurred on both the east side and the west side, Craig said.
Several shootings stemmed from verbal disputes, the chief said. Other shootings stemmed from narcotic-related incidents and a robbery.
"It’s got to stop. That is not the way to end disputes," he said.
Although there have been increases in both homicide and nonfatal crime, Craig said overall crime to date is down 8.6 percent. Property crime in particular is down roughly 16 percent.
Craig said that the department predicted early on that due to COVID-19, there would be tremendous tension and stress.
"What we're seeing manifesting is these argument-based, senseless shootings among people who are acquainted, attending block parties," he said.
