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Social media post by Cold Truth ice cream shop wants Detroit police to not wear body armor
Some social media posts followed by a statement from the store owner wants Detroit police to not wear body armor if they come to Midtown ice cream stand.
FRIDAY NEWS HIT - A Detroit ice cream store said it will deny service to police officers if they are wearing tactical body armor.
Cold Truth Soft Serve, located at 4240 Cass Avenue, posted a photo on social media of a Detroit police cruiser parked in front of their shop with the caption, "We can tolerate the parking however you please but we will not serve anyone wearing body armor."
The owner, Tim Mahoney, released a statement defending the vegan establishment, which he said prides itself on being a family and community business.
"There are times when police units come through and are outfitted in heavy-duty tactical gear, it is disturbing and unsettling for some of the families in our space. In the last 24 hours, It has come to my attention that the City of Detroit outfits EMS and FIRE with armor, and this is not my concern. It’s the heavy-duty military dress that I’m hoping the city can find a way to minimize in our public spaces."
Detroit Police Chief James White defended his officers wearing the protective gear, and called the denial of service and subsequent social media post, "shameful and apparently unprovoked."
White said his department is hoping to contact Mahoney and store management to talk about the social media post.
"Law enforcement is a dangerous profession. Body armor provides our officers protection and is an essential part of the police uniform," he said in a statement. "It is the desire of each and every member of the Detroit Police Department to fulfill their duties as a law enforcement officer and at the end of their shift return home to their loved ones.
A Detroit police spokesman said that there are no instances he knows of where officers have been denied service at Cold Truth Soft Serve for wearing body armor.
In the meantime, reaction online to the store's online posts spread through some of the first responder ranks and through the community, earning a backlash.
In another social media post, Cold Truth shared a photo of negative reviews (see below) with the caption, "Sorry to all the new visitors, we are not comfortable with Tactical gear/body armor at our space."
A Google reviewer by the name of EMT to RN Ryan wrote: "Trash company that does not support fire, EMS, or police. Calls himself a vet. Should probably strip that title because you're a poor excuse for a vet. Good luck with the new business venture after your business face dives. You're an ice cream shop, not a 5 star restaurant."
Jackelyn W. said: "The fact that you discriminate and have made it very clear that you will not serve police, the people that keep you safe and if your establishment needed them they would be there in a heartbeat. Terrible service and mediocre ice cream! Boycott this place!!!!!!!"
Read the full story on FOX 2 Detroit here.
Carjacking suspects in Detroit pulled gun on victim, assaulted him
A car theft in Detroit has police on the lookout for two men suspected of a violent carjacking near the Lodge Freeway. Two men approached a 23-year-old victim at a gas station on Schaefer on June 17, where one of them produced a weapon, demanded money, and then assaulted the individual.
The victim ran away while the suspects entered his car and fled the scene. The carjacking happened around 1 a.m. in the 15900 block of Schaefer in the Bethane Community neighborhood.
The stolen vehicle was later recovered in the area of Monte Vista and Fenkell. Detroit police released images of the suspects. Both are Black males who were dressed in black-colored clothes on the night of the carjacking.
Anyone with information is asked to call the department's Commercial Auto Theft Unit at (313) 596-2555.
Whitmer kidnapping suspects get new trial date
A judge on Thursday set Aug. 9 for a second trial for two men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A jury in April acquitted two other men but couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict for Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr.
They were described as leaders of a wild scheme to kidnap the Democratic governor at her vacation home ahead of the 2020 election, trigger a civil war and prevent Joe Biden from winning the presidency. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker set a trial date after turning down requests to clear Fox and Croft on conspiracy and weapons charges.
It was a long shot: An acquittal would fit only if Jonker believed the evidence was insufficient to convict the pair. The August trial would occur a week after the Republican primary when voters choose Whitmer’s GOP opponent in the Nov. 8 election.
Prosecutors said the group was steeped in anti-government extremism and furious over Whitmer’s COVID-19 restrictions. There was evidence of a crudely built "shoot house" to practice going in and out of her vacation home, and a night ride by Croft, Fox and undercover agents to check the property.
Courtesy of The Associated Press. Read the full story here.
Governor candidates debate in Warren
Republican candidates for governor shared the same stage at the Royalty House in Warren where they debated education, COVID-19 policies, and abortion. The results of the 2020 election were also a subject of the debate, despite the lack of evidence alleging fraud in the race.
Tudor Dixon, Ryan Kelley, Kevin Rinke, Ralph Rebrandt, and Garrett Soldano made up the panel, taking questions about what restrictions to abortion access should look like, as well as where they stood on the 2020 Covid policies initiated by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The debate came during an inflection point in national politics as the U.S. Supreme Court released several new opinions that sent shockwaves around the country. The candidates only have a month before the August Primary races.
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Republican candidates for governor debate in Warren
The gloves came off as the remaining five candidates on the GOP side weighed in on the future of the state of Michigan.
All the candidates say they do believe there was some election fraud in 2020 even though numerous challenges to the results have proven fruitless.
Education funding boosted in Michigan budget
Michigan schools would get a big boost under a more than $74 billion budget. The K-12 system, community colleges, and the state's 15 universities would all see more money. This includes $9,000 that K-12 schools would get per student, a $6,000 stipend for university students, and a $3,000 scholarship program for community college students.
Detroit and other urban schools in particular will get a new influx of state dollars for special needs students. "The middle city schools serve a higher percentage of special ed and a higher percentage of students at risk, so to have this type of investment coming our way is very important for my member districts," Peter Spadafore, the president of the Urban School Association said.
In the wake that emotional Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow the states to decide the abortion issue, the GOP house budget chair Rep. Tom Albert tried to stop the state from sending tax dollars to groups such as Planned Parenthood, which offer abortions.
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New Michigan budget includes big education funding boost
Lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a budget that would give a funding boost to Michigan schools.
As they leave town later Thursday night, lawmakers did not pass a gas tax holiday, and did not agree to send you a tax cut check of $500 as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wanted, nor did they roll back the state income tax rate. Negotions are expected to continue into the summer recess.
See the details of the budget here.
Live on FOX 2
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What else we're watching
- Michigan State Police have a message for drivers: Please slow down. Especially this weekend, when travel is supposed to reach record levels, police are urging drivers to be cautious on the road as they head off for vacation.
- The inclusion of USC and UCLA into the Big Ten will have wide-reaching ramifications for the world of college sports. The two California-based schools will compete within the conference beginning in 2024.
- The first-ever taco fest in Royal Oak is expected this weekend. From tacos to tequila, music, and mariachis, there's plenty to enjoy during the four-day event in the downtown area.
- Andre Spivey, the Detroit City Councilman convicted of accepting bribes is expected to report to prison on July 1st. The former lawmaker was sentenced to 24 months in prison after a federal conviction.
- AAA's Tow to Go program is back in effect this weekend. From July 1-5, those too impaired to drive can instead call a AAA to have them take their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius.
Daily Forecast
The temperatures are going to remain high Friday with a dew point pushing us into 90-degree territory. Some rain is also expected later in the afternoon, although the potential for severe weather is low. Plan for less eventful conditions over the holiday weekend.
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Holiday weekend looks mostly nice!
However some showers and storms are possible Friday and late Monday
'Is that the Stanley Cup?' Iconic trophy accidentally delivered to wrong house
Every player on the Stanley Cup-winning team gets to have the cup for a day. This year, it's all the players on the Colorado Avalanche.
But when it was Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog's turn, the cup took a detour.
The iconic trophy was delivered to a random person in the same neighborhood where Landeskog lives, who has an address that's similar to the Avalanche captain's.
"And a fella comes to the door," homeowner Kit Karbler recalled. "He's got long, kinda gray hair, parted, and he's very friendly: 'Hi. How are ya?' And I'm, like, 'Hi.' And he's, he comes right in. And they're lookin,' the truck is backed up, and they're lookin' to bring in the trophy."