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Dearborn police targeted with mortar round on Fourth of July

By and FOX 2 Staff
Published  July 5, 2023 5:19pm EDT
Dearborn
FOX 2 Detroit

Dearborn officer targeted with mortar on 4th of July

Mayhem on the streets of Dearborn on the Fourth of July included a suspect launching a mortar firework at a police car.

DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - Dearborn Police were targeted on Tuesday as Fourth of July celebrations got out of control near Fordson High School.

According to the Dearborn Police Department, a group of teens were setting off fireworks in the middle of Ford Road on Tuesday. When police arrived to break up the impromptu display, someone launched a mortar round at the police car.

The officer wasn't hurt but Dearborn Police said the officer was targeted as the round landed on the car. Dashcam video showed the attack on the officer and the car was heavily damaged.

"Totally unacceptable, it's illegal, it’s dangerous, people can get hurt, people can get killed," Corporal Dan Bartok said. "We aren't talking about sparklers we are mortars and large fireworks that fire into the sky."

According to Bartok, this was one of several problems on Independence Day with drivers dodging explosions throughout the evening with a total of 50 fireworks-related calls on Tuesday alone.

Several citations were issued on Ford Road but no one was arrested for firing the round at the car. 

"This is not something we are used to and this is not something we will get used to," Bartok said.

Dearborn police are asking anyone knows anything about the person who did it to call Dearborn police.