Feds Join Fight Against Violent Crime in Detroit

Feb. 29, 2012
Violent crime in Detroit, which has seen a 25% increase in homicides this year, has law enforcement fit to be tied these days.

Police officials have had enough. Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is exasperated. So is U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade.

Violent crime in Detroit, which has seen a 25% increase in homicides this year, has law enforcement fit to be tied these days.

This afternoon, McQuade -- like other times before -- will take shot at warning violent criminals that no one is giving up on the city of Detroit. She will hold a 2 p.m. press conference, along with local and federal police agencies, to address yet another spate of violence in Detroit that has hit children particularly hard.

In recent weeks, the city has witnessed the shooting death of an infant, the shooting death of a 12-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy accused of killing his mother and a 6-year-old critically injured after being shot with an AK47 in an attempted carjacking.

Bing stressed at a press conference Monday: "Let's stop the madness."

It's unclear what McQuade plans to propose. About six months ago, she held a similar press conference following another rash of violence and vowed to prosecute more gun crimes in the federal courts, where criminals face stiffer sentences.

Specifically, she announced a program called Project 48205, in which the federal government would zone in on what it considered the deadliest zip code in Detroit. The project's goal was to focus on every gun crime that occurs in the heavily blighted area.

To date, the U.S. Attorney's office says the project has worked well, leading to some federal gun prosecutions, although no official numbers have been released.

McQuade's conference today will include members of the FBI and ATF, along with Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr., who has repeatedly called on the community to help combat and solve crime in Detroit.

Godbee stated Monday: "We just can't sit back and let this happen."

Bing echoed that, stating: "We have to be enraged at this point."

Copyright 2012 - Detroit Free Press

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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