Feb. 20--A 9-month-old boy was shot and killed this morning when bullets were fired into a home on Detroit's west side.
The child, who was shot in the 8400 block of Greenview, was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Detroit Police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens said.
No arrests have been made.
The baby was in the living room when the shooting happened around 4:30 a.m., she said. Stephens said other people were in the home at the time, but she did not know how many. No one else was injured.
"There were individuals who exited a vehicle and fired multiple shots into the home," Stephens said.
No description of the car was available from police, but a neighbor described seeing a minivan leave the area.
Henry Jackson, 51, was getting ready for work when he heard the shooting. His initial thought was it was on television. He said the gunfire sounded like it was coming from a semi-automatic weapon because of the way the bullets were firing.
It's unclear how many guns were used, but several rounds were fired into the home. Shell casings were found on the front lawn, Stephens said.
Neighbors described hearing about 30 shots. The glass on the front door was shattered, and a few dozen bullet holes could be seen this morning on the front of the house.
A person who identified herself as a family member called the shooting "senseless" when leaving the home. She declined to talk further.
Diane First, 66, lives across the street and said she was coming out of the bathroom when the shooting started. She put her dogs on the floor and got on top to protect them from any bullets that may have ricocheted.
The shooting lasted a few minutes, and the bullets were rapid, she said. First said she didn't see anyone.
"I was too busy ducking," she said.
Jason Smith, 27, lives down the street and was in his home in the 8600 block of Greenview getting ready for work when he heard the gunfire. He crouched down in his home because the gunshots sounded close.
"I just got down trying to figure out which direction they were coming from," he said.
He saw an ambulance and police arrive on scene.
Evidence technicians were at the home processing evidence this morning, but have since left.
"Any time a person is injured or killed due to violence, it's a disheartening feeling," Stephens said. "It so important that we have to come to together to stop this senseless violence."
Neighbors say several adults and children could often be seen at the home and say the family has lived there for about 1 1/2 to 2 years.
Police say the first 24-hours of the investigation are critical and ask anyone with information on the shooting to call 313-596-2260.
The baby is the second child to be killed by bullets fired into a home in recent weeks.
On Jan. 31, 12-year-old Kade'jah Davis died after bullets were fired into her home on Ferguson in Detroit. A mother and son have been charged in the case.
As of Feb. 12, a total of 41 homicides have occurred in Detroit, a 24% increase compared to the same time in 2011, according to Detroit police crime statistics.
Copyright 2012 - Detroit Free Press
