Detroit block party shooting: Suspect in custody for July mass shooting that killed two

DETROIT (FOX 2) - It's been six months since a 20-year-old woman was killed during a mass shooting at a block party in Detroit. On Friday, Detroit Police will give an update on the shooting.

Police Chief Todd Bettison called a 4 p.m. press conference where he announced a suspect was arrested, charged, and arraigned for the block party shooting that killed two killed people.

"The city of Detroit and the state of Michigan experienced the largest mass shooting in its history," Bettison said.

The suspect, identified by Bettison as Demetrius T. Shaw, 19, has already been arraigned and is in police custody.

Bettison thanked the Oakland County Sheriff, Wayne County Sheriff, and other local law enforcement.

"To the families of the victims, two people killed and the 19 others who were injured, it is with great pleasure today that I can bring some sort of justice," Bettison said.

The investigation isn't over and Bettison said this week, police served search warrants across the city to bring in others in connection to the shooting.

Shaw is charged with homicide and assault with intent to commit murder. He's being held on a $1 million cash/surety bond.

Other suspects could be charged, Bettison said.

What we know:

Shanae Fletcher, 20, and Phillip Arnold Jr., 21, were both killed in the block party shooting that injured 19 others on Detroit’s east side on Rossini at Reno.

Fletcher and Arnold each decided to join the block party that ended in gunshots around 2:30 a.m. on July 7.

The victims' ages range from 17 to 27 years old.

In July, at least one other victim was critically injured while everyone else was expected to recover. 

As of October, the last time we had new details on the shooting, there were no suspects in custody.

During Friday's press conference, police said Shaw has a previous felony conviction but did not elaborate what led them to him and how he was connected to the victims or the block party.

Lt. Matthew Bray said that the shooting was not random.

"I can't really get into the aspects of what started the incident because it would definitely reveal pertinent information involved in the investigation. It wasn't a random occurrence," he said. "It wasn't something that happened out of the blue."

The backstory:

As a result of the block party shooting, the city of Detroit implemented a new plan to squash illegal ‘pop-up’ parties.

In order to have a legal block party, an application must be filed with the City of Detroit.

The applicant must be the president or chair of the block club and must reside on the block, according to the city application's guidelines. And in order for the street to be closed, 75% approval of the households residing on the block involved is required.

Among those who reacted to the mass shooting news was Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, calling it an "unspeakable tragedy" and "another reminder that gun violence is an epidemic in Detroit and across this nation."

"We must chart a new course of action and I'm calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to ending the senseless killings and destruction of families in our community," she said in a statement. "My heart and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones."

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