Different standoffs end the same, Novi postpones class, sports after COVID-19 infections, DPD bust chop shop

THURSDAY NEWS HIT - Two standoffs that involved heavy police presence in Detroit and Ypsilanti ended Wednesday in similar fashion after gunmen armed and barricaded in their homes died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. 

The first concluded around 9 a.m. after a 30-hour standoff with Detroit police at a home on the city's west side when a suspect had taken two people hostage in his home. As acknowledged over the phone, the man at odds with police was the main suspect in a triple homicide investigation from earlier in the summer.

The second ended around 11 p.m. after a nine-hour standoff with Washtenaw County Sheriff's deputies after a suspect had shot a deputy who had responded to reports of neighbor dispute that had turned ugly. 

In both instances, police describe taking a patient approach and deploying negotiators to work with the suspects.

"He was up and down, calm at one point, just having casual conversations with them (negotiators) then very agitated moments later yelling and screaming into the phone, " said David Levalley, an assistant chief with DPD responding to the scene on Iliad Street Wednesday morning.

The suspect, later identified as Thomas Michael Curry, was believed to be high on drugs, drunk, and possibly dealing with mental illness.

While talking to FOX 2's Charlie Langton, Curry again confessed to the triple murder.

"I literally killed three people, three months ago on Helen Street behind the Highwaymen clubhouse. I confessed to it. Detroit Highwaymen ordered me to do it and then turned in evidence against me to the police to try to hang me up for the crime," he said in a video phone call. 

Both victims held hostage at one point were checked out and released by medical services.

In Superior Township, officers had initially responded to reports of felonious assault after one neighbor had shot at another Wednesday afternoon.

When they were approaching the scene, a deputy was struck by gunfire coming from one of the homes. 

The response from police included dozens of officers that set up a perimeter around the complex near N. Prospect Road, Geddes Road, and East Clark Road. 

After nine hours of negotiating, the suspect eventually found deceased in his home.

"For us, it's a loss that he was deceased. We don't know how he was deceased but it's loss of a human life and that, for us, is distressing. The upside for us is our deputy who was shot, with a significant injury, but praise to God he is healthy from that perspective that he was able to go home," said Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton who had been monitoring operations in Superior Township. 

Novi school goes online after students test positive for COVID-19

Students and teachers at Novi High School will to a remote learning model after five students tested positive for COVID-19. 

For the next two days, students will be taught from home as health officials work on contact tracing to identify any others who may have been exposed.

It also means games and practices for sports teams have been canceled - which includes the Friday football game against Brighton that Novi now must forfeit.

The temporary policy changes only affect the high school and k-8 hybrid students should "treat the day as a normal day" read a letter from the superintendent.

Teen sentenced 27-60 years in prison for stabbing classmate to death

A former high school student in Warren received a decades-long sentence in prison for murder after more than two years since she came to school with a kitchen knife and stabbed a classmate.

Tanaya Lewis, who was 17 at the time, stabbed Danyna Gibson in the chest and back on Sept. 12, 2018. A school resource officer immediately responded with life-saving protocols. Gibson died in the hospital later that morning.

Lewis' sentencing isn't enough for Gibson's family, however.

"You want us not to do nothing; you want us to let you all handle it, but you're all giving out slaps on the wrist," said Vernita Johnson, Danya's aunt. "Imagine if this was your child, your auntie, your brother, your sister. You would want this person dead or in jail for the rest of their life without a chance of them getting out."

Lewis was apparently upset with Gibson and her interactions with her ex-boyfriend. 

Family of 7 returns to newly-fixed Detroit home badly burned

The White family had installed a new roof and put new windows in. They still had work to go and had been staying upstairs, but this was going to be where all seven of them lived.

Then, after an overnight trip in Lansing, they returned to their home on the 2900 block of Gladstone to a horrifying sight.

"When I looked over to the house it was almost a dream, like I couldn't believe it. The whole house burned up and we literally just left here last night," said Malika White. 

But it wasn't just the home they lost.

"Actually we lost some photos of my dad when he passed away, and I lose some shoes. Me and my brother, we lost both of our games. I lost my laptop for my school," said Mychael White. 

If you would like to help the family, a GoFundMe has also been set up for the family if you'd like to make a donation online. 

Suspected chop shop raided on city's west side

The Detroit Police Department's Commerical Auto Theft Task Force shut down Greenlight Auto Parts and arrested its owner following a months-long investigation of running an illegal chop shop.

Investigators believe the business had been removing parts from stolen vehicles and installing them in other cars. 

"These were newer-model cars that they were stealing part off of, such as doors, the front fenders, we have transmissions, engines. And they would take these parts and put them on other cars and innocent purchases would never know they were riding around with stolen cars," said Sgt. Shawn Dunning. 

The arrest was made following four months of investigations. 

Daily Forecast

A cool down is on the way for Michigan temperatures floating in the 60s until next week. No rain is expected for awhile either.

CDC director says face masks ‘more guaranteed’ to protect against COVID-19 than vaccine

Speaking before a Senate appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Robert Redfield reaffirmed the effectiveness of face masks against the spread of the novel coronavirus, saying that wearing a facial covering may be more effective than an eventual vaccine. 

During the hearing,  Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., criticized President Donald Trump for his repeated public refusal to wear a face mask, saying that the president was “undercutting” a key form of protection amid a deadly pandemic. 

"I’m not going to comment directly about the president, but I am going to comment as the CDC director that face masks, these face masks are the most important, powerful public health tool we have," Redfield said, holding a mask in his hand. "And I will continue to appeal for all Americans, all individuals in our country, to embrace these face coverings. I’ve said that if we did it for six, eight, 10, 12 weeks we'd bring this pandemic under control."

Redfield went on to explain why masks are currently the best line of defense against COVID-19 and why they might be more effective than a potential coronavirus vaccine.