2 dead in pair of car crashes and shoot-out on Detroit's west side

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit police are at the scene of two crashes and shoot-out on the city's west side Friday afternoon that left two people dead.

At 3:11 p.m. It started with a fender-bender of Seward and DPD says instead of calling police, the female driver that was hit, called friends and family to go after the vehicle, a pickup truck, that hit her.

That truck is then believed to have hit a van near Wildemere killing the driver- a woman - inside. After the second crash, a fourth vehicle arrived and the people inside got into a shootout with the driver of the truck.

Inside that truck, the driver or passenger was found with a handgun next to him inside, died from his injuries after being rushed to the hospital.

Police are still looking for three suspects - two males and a female involved with the shootout.

At the scene at least 20 shell casings littered the ground as investigators combed the area for evidence. 

It is unclear if the suspects and victim knew each other or if it was a road rage incident.

DPD Chief James White spoke about the loss of life - especially regarding the innocent bystander killed inside her van.

"Absolutely tragic, and the lack of respect for the community to get out, shooting like that, and thank God no kids were hit," he said. "You see kids are still out playing right now, a beautiful day.

"But you have an innocent bystander - I mean, just super tragic. There are no words for that, we still have to notify the family. So she, it looks like was someone just returning home."

A witness spoke to FOX 2 about the chaotic scene.

"I heard about 20 gunshots go off I came outside and it was a terrible accident and they said they were shooting back at each other," said a neighbor. "There's supposed to be someone in the car over there that's dead. And they took somebody out and said they had to resuscitate them a couple of times. I don't know if the person that got taken to the hospital was dead or alive, but I know the person in the van is dead."

Detroit Police Homicide are handling this investigation and are asking anyone with information to please contact 1-800-SPEAK-UP or 313-596-2260.