Accused cop killer caught after manhunt • $1M Wagoneer theft • Detroit's new rental ordinance proposal

TUESDAY NEWS HIT - A manhunt that started Sunday morning ended with a man accused of killing a Melvindale police officer wearing the cop's handcuffs.

Michael Lopez, 44, was arrested Monday evening in Southwest Detroit in connection with the fatal shooting of 26-year-old officer Mohamed Said.

A tip led police to Lopez around 6:30 p.m. Monday after he was spotted at a home near Michigan and Livernois in Southwest Detroit.

Once authorities took Lopez into custody, the handcuffs he was in were replaced with Said's cuffs before the suspect was led away. While authorities walked Lopez to a vehicle, he smiled and winked at those who were filming his arrest.

Melvindale Police Chief Robert Kennaley broke down when describing hearing that authorities had found Lopez.

"We got him," he said while breaking down into tears.

$1M worth of Wagoneers stolen from plant

Ten Jeep Wagoneers totaling nearly $1 million were stolen early Monday from outside Warren Stamping Plant.

The thieves damaged a fence to get into the lot and made off with the pricey vehicles around 3 a.m.

"You wonder what kids are doing out at that hour in the morning, you wonder where they should be and what they should be doing," said Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski.

Two vehicles were recovered shortly after the crime, while two more were found in Detroit later.

 The Macomb Auto Theft Unit is still investigating.

"Obviously, our goal is prevention," Gajewski said. "We don’t want any any crimes. we don’t want any theft and in these particular cases the group involved are usually fairly organized. So we work with Chrysler security but also our state and local partners to identify the root cause and see what is going on."

Widowed mother loses everything in fire

A mother of six now has to rebuild her family's life after losing everything in a house fire over the weekend.

While Krista Stapleton enjoyed Faster Horses Festival on Saturday, her Garden City home caught fire. She learned about it when her neighbors called her at the concert.

Fortunately, Krista’s kids were with family and friends when the fire broke out, but it damaged more than just her home - it’s also where her business "Crafted Creations by Krista" was located.

"I create cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, (and) cookies for events, birthdays, weddings," she said.

But the fire has paused production and additional income for this small business entrepreneur.

"The kitchen is completely gone, one of our cats did not make it," she said.

She nearly lost her deceased husband's ashes, too, but a firefighter saved them for her.

"My husband passed away two years ago of brain cancer and his ashes were in there," she said. "A firefighter went back in there and that room was on fire, and he went in and grabbed him out for me."

A GoFundMe has been started for the family.

Detroit rent ordinance proposal

A new rent ordinance proposed in Detroit aims to bring more properties up to compliance.

This proposal would more effectively penalize owners who refuse to repair their rental homes, too.

At the heart of the issue is the prevalence of lead paint that remains on old homes in Detroit. Too many children live in homes with toxic peeling paint, Dr. Teresa Holtrop, co-founder of the Detroit Lead Partnership who also works as a doctor at Children's Hospital.

"The ordinance change is absolutely critical because of the impact that it will have on housing," she said. "As Councilwoman Waters mentioned, it's not just the lead, it's other safety issues that are important."

Of the 82,000 rental properties in Detroit, only 10% of them are within compliance. The city said reason for the disparity is an incredibly costly and complex process for getting a home up to code, while also blaming a lack of enforcement against landlords who don't care about making their proprieties safe.

The proposed ordinance, which will be introduced before the Detroit City Council on Tuesday, was put together by Councilperson Mary Waters and endorsed by mayor Mike Duggan.

Whitmer not interested in VP spot

After President Joe Biden announced he was leaving the 2024 presidential race, support grew behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

The idea of Harris running for president led to speculation about who her running mate would be. It won't be Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor said Monday.

"I'm not planning to go anywhere," Whitmer said. "I'm not leaving Michigan. I'm proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again - I know you're doing your job - I'm not going anywhere."

That declaration came shortly after Whitmer endorsed Harris on X.

"I think everyone was surprised by the news yesterday, even though there was a lot of conversation about it. That means co-chairs included. I wanted a minute to check in with my colleagues and let the dust settle, and I'm proud to be supporting the vice president for president," she said.

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Daily Forecast

The heat and humidity both increase today.

What else we're watching

1. Michigan Medicine said a cyberattack that impacted employee email accounts and potentially exposed patient information.
2. Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir, the last of the original Four Tops, died Monday of heart failure. He was 88.
3. At least three young people in Macomb County have been hurt recently while car surfing, a dangerous social media trend where people ride on top of vehicles.
4. Days after a shooting at Starter's Bar & Grill in Southfield, police said a man is now in custody and charged with assault with intent to murder after he allegedly shot someone last week.
5. The Avocato Catfé and Adoption Center in Farmington Hills is holding a grand opening celebration today.

Lawmakers call for Secret Service director to resign following Trump assassination attempt

Republicans and Democrats came together on Capitol Hill Monday morning, calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign. It comes after the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

It was a rare moment when both parties were aligned — both angry and concerned by the lapse in security that almost cost the Republican presidential nominee his life.

Lawmakers appeared frustrated by the agency's lack of answers and calls for Cheatle to resign came quickly from Republican Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who penned a letter demanding that she step down.

"Today, you failed to provide answers to basic questions regarding that stunning operational failure and to reassure the American people that the Secret Service has learned its lessons and begun to correct its systemic blunders and failures," the letter read. "We call on you to resign as Director as a first step to allowing new leadership to swiftly address this crisis and rebuild the trust of a truly concerned Congress and the American people."