Detroit public schools officer dies after intervening in altercation near Henry Ford HS

FOX 2 - A Detroit Public Schools police officer has died after being critically injured Thursday afternoon after responding to an altercation near Henry Ford High School.

At 3:30 p.m. a large group of students gathered at the intersection of Trojan and Vaughan. Grainy surveillance video from home security cameras shows chaos and commotion — but it doesn’t show the physical altercation, nor does it show the police officer actually being injured.

There still numerous questions regarding the incident. 

"I didn’t see anything that happened other than the kids running in the crowd," said a neighbor. "Because by the time I got in my garage and got out of my car, they had put up the caution tape and everything up."

The officer was privately conveyed to an area hospital where hours later, he passed away

A spokesperson with Detroit Public Schools said in a statement earlier, that they "do not have evidence that weapons were involved." But crime scene investigators did take a very large log into evidence. It is believed that the log may have been used as a weapon.

"It was at least probably 3 and a half to 4 feet long - probably about 5 inches or 4 inches diameter," the neighbor said. "It was a pretty heavy piece of wood."

The officer was given CPR and rushed to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition before dying.

DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti responded to the death in a statement:

"The DPSCD School Board and Superintendent are saddened by the sudden death of Officer Freddie Wilson. Officer Wilson devoted more than 20 years with DPSCD. Our thoughts and prayers go to the Wilson Family.

"Officer Wilson passed away late Thursday evening, March 10, 2022. We are actively investigating the incident and request that everyone wait to pass judgement regarding the incident and his cause of death until an investigation is complete. It already appears as if misinformation is being reported."