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5-Year-Old Hit by Stray Bullet While Riding Bike on Detroit’s West Side

The shooting highlights the danger of random gunfire in neighborhood parks and raises fresh pressure on police to curb youth access to firearms.

Overview

  • Police say the boy was struck in the arm around 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday while riding his bicycle near Fargo-Oakfield Park and was taken to the hospital and released the next day with an expected full physical recovery.
  • Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison described a masked teenage shooter as a person of interest and said investigators believe the shots were fired randomly and the child was not the intended target.
  • Local outlets and police report a teenager was taken into custody Wednesday after officers executed a nearby search warrant, but Detroit authorities have not publicly detailed charges and continue to pursue at least one additional suspect and the firearm.
  • The boy’s family and neighbors say he is traumatized and afraid to play outside, and community groups called for more violence-intervention work and supervision to prevent teens from bringing guns to parks.
  • Police asked residents to submit tips to Crime Stoppers as investigators follow leads, and the case adds to wider local concern about youth-involved shootings and public safety in Detroit neighborhoods.