(WXYZ) — Here at 7 News Detroit, we want to make sure you start your day off on the right foot, informed about weather, traffic, the latest news and more. That's why we have the 7 Morning Digest, where we'll get you out the door informed and ready to go.
What's the weather for today?
A cold front moves through Wednesday bringing showers and storm, especially Wednesday night. High temperatures climb into the mid 80s.
Today: Mostly sunny with clouds building in the afternoon. Chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening is at only 20%. Any storm will have more very heavy rain. Highs in the low 90s with the heat index in the mid to upper 90s. Winds: SSW 5-10 mph.
Tonight: It will be partly cloudy and muggy. Lows in the upper 60s to low 70s. Winds: Light.
Wednesday: Scattered shower and storms chances, more south than north. Highs in the mid 80s. Winds: NNE 5-15 mph.
Thursday: Highs in the low 70s with a slight chance of rain early. Winds: N 5-10 mph.
The top stories to know about
Traverse City stabbing suspect had decades-long mental health struggles, criminal history
The man accused of stabbing 11 people at a Traverse City Walmart appeared disheveled and confused Monday in court, asking a jail officer: “Do I have to do this?” moments before he was arraigned on charges of terrorism and assault with intent to murder.
They are hardly the first criminal charges brought against Bradford Gille. The 42-year-old’s criminal history is decades-long trail of misdemeanor and felony charges that tell the story of a life in a slow-motion spiral.
Court records and news reports also show that Gille spent years struggling to seek mental health treatment.
In 2005, Gille pleaded guilty to domestic violence in Emmett County, Michigan, with records showing he spent 93 days in confinement.
The following year, records show he pleaded guilty to 3rd degree retail fraud in Petoskey. Two years after that, he pleaded guilty to aggravated domestic violence, this time spending a year behind bars. Four years later, records show he was convicted of assault.
Florida court records show that in 2014, Gille was sentenced to 49 days in jail following a criminal mischief conviction.
In 2016, records show Gille was charged with felony destruction of tombs and disinterment and mutilation of dead bodies. But Emmet County court records show he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Gille’s struggle with mental illness was so severe, he was featured in a 2007 article in the Petoskey News-Review where his mother said her son — then 23 — suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, fearing he would never break out of the cycle of hospital stays and incarceration:
"He's fine when he's on his medication," Gille, a Levering resident, said. "The problem is, his illness tells him that he is fine and doesn't need to take his medication. He's also been through the (mental health) evaluations so many times that he knows how to answer their questions."
Those worst fears came true today inside 86th District Court, where Gille — who appeared out of sorts and confused — was arraigned via Zoom.
'An honor': Detroit couple provides safe rides to teen who witnessed bus shooting
In a show of community support, a Detroit couple has stepped up to help a local teen who witnessed a city bus shooting by providing her with free rides to school.
High school senior Ashyira Kenney says she is thankful for the Kendrick family, total strangers who stepped in to give her more than a safe ride — they gave her the courage to finish summer school.
"It makes me feel good that I've got somebody on my side to help me to get back and fourth from school," Kenney said.
Kenney is looking forward to her senior year at Chandler Park Academy High School in Harper Woods. But earlier this month, on her way home from summer classes, her peaceful world was turned upside down when she witnessed a shooting on a Detroit Department of Transportation bus, leaving the 17-year-old scared to get back on a city bus.
"Whenever something goes down in the community that affects our young people, we want to follow up to make sure it doesn't affect their quality of life," said Bishop Daryl Harris, project manager of Cease Fire Detroit.
Harris asked members of his church if they could help Kenney prosper.
"We thought we would step in and see how we can keep her coming to school," Harris said.
"We're just glad that we can step in and add some support," said Shawn Kendrick.
"We just want to make sure she has the chance to do whatever she needs to do to graduate," Krystina Kendrick said.
Mother dies protecting her 1-year-old after being hit by car in Holly Township
A 29-year-old mother died protecting her young child after they were both run over by a car in Holly Township Sunday evening.
Sam Skinner was holding her 1-year-old daughter Marley Mae while tending to her stepson during a custody exchange when a 72-year-old man from Carleton pulled out of an adjacent parking spot and struck them both.
Skinner died from her injuries, while her daughter is recovering at a local hospital with broken bones but is expected to survive.
Michigan State Police believe the driver may have been under the influence of narcotics at the time of the crash. The driver has been arrested and the case remains under investigation.
"It's just such a terrible, tragic way to go, and even worse so that it was from the carelessness of another human. It's horrific," said Tiffany MacDermaid, Skinner's cousin and close friend.
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Alex's Market and Grill in Holly Township during what should have been a routine custody exchange for Skinner's stepson.
"They were doing a custody exchange for her stepson. And it's just really unfortunate. They were in a parking lot to do the handoff. So all of the family was there," MacDermaid said.
Family members say Skinner's final act of protecting her baby reflects the devoted mother she always was.
"It's tragic what happened to Sam. I'm grateful that Marley is still with us, of course. But yeah, it is very telling that Sam obviously protected her baby... up until that last moment, it's just a true statement of her character," MacDermaid said. "She was born to be a mother."
The family is now focused on ensuring a bright future for Skinner's children, who were "her pride and joy in her entire world, her entire universe," according to MacDermaid.
