Ceasefire Detroit: Shooting over parking spot that injured five 'speaks of not having emotional intelligence'
Detroit shooting that injured five part of larger violence issue
When a gunman opened fire on a crowd, injuring five people over a dispute that came down to a parking spot, it left police frustrated and furious. For the people tasked with reducing violence, it's a crime that should be viewed through a public health lens.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The search for a gunman is on after someone shot five people in Detroit early Friday morning.
The blast of gun violence originated over something small: a parking space.
But the west-side shooting isn't just a lone instance of violence that requires a police investigation, says the project manager of Ceasefire Detroit. Instead, it should be viewed from a public health lens.
"To me, this speaks of not having emotional intelligence," said Quincy Smith. "Not simply knowing how to resolve a simple issue by a conversation."
Ceasefire has been embedded in the city for years. Groups like Smith's and recently found success in dropping crime rates in parts of the city by tackling the issue as not just crime and punishment, but bettering people's ability to solve conflicts.
In this case, the assault happened over a parking spot at Chicago Blu'z.
Five people were struck around 2:45 a.m. near the corner of Chicago and Cloverlawn. According to police, a fight started in the parking lot and one person left. When they returned and started shooting, they struck victims ranging in age from 33 to 49 years old.
All are expected to survive.
"Senseless, it’s just ridiculous that five people are shot over a parking spot," said Asst. Chief Charles Fitzgerald.
The shooter seen on security video outside a Detroit club after five were struck.
Investigators say out of the five people shot, only one of them was involved in the actual argument. Police are now looking for the shooter - and hope anyone who knows him or the Jeep he was driving in to get in touch with them.
"Citizens deserve much, much better. This is an amazing community," Fitzgerald said.