Suspect missing after fleeing Detroit traffic stop • District Detroit's $1.5B plan • Ex-cop's track record
WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - The search is on for the suspect driver of an unknown SUV after a confrontation with police led to shots being fired and at least one person sustaining injuries.
The passenger of the SUV fled on foot while the driver sped away after police attempted a traffic stop.
Detroit police shot the passenger, striking him in the leg and sending him to the hospital.
"Right now, we're looking at if he fired at us," said Chief James White. "Our supervisor responded to a shots-fired run in progress. I don't know if it was shots fired by the perpetrator to our officers or what, but we do know one person shot in leg, temporary serious condition at a local hospital."
The incident unfolded late Tuesday afternoon in the area of Strathmoor Street and Joy Road on the city's west side.
Suspect SUV that police are seeking.
Police said they tried to pull over an SUV - either a Chevrolet Suburban or a Tahoe - for improper plates. The vehicle instead drove off while the passenger fled on foot. He was later captured.
The driver is still missing but police are asking for people to be on the lookout for the SUV with a license plate of ELY6819.
Massive $1.5B plan includes hotels, apartments, offices for District Detroit
Is the long-fabled District Detroit development that was promised so many years ago finally here?
A new $1.5 billion plan that would transform several properties on Woodward, as well as constructing several more was announced by Ilitch Companies this week, with the property developer promising a slew of office space, retail space, new hotels, and mixed-income housing.
The proposed plan preserves the Fort Wayne Hotel and the Detroit Live Building with plans to turn them in retail and residential space. Two new buildings would go in on Woodward and Cass Avenues while commercial office buildings and hotels would also go up.
The massive project comes years after Olympia Development, the property management firm owned by the Ilitch family, purchased land in Detroit with the intention of turning the unused space into a combination of residential, commercial, and housing options.
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Massive $1.5B plan includes hotels, apartments, offices for District Detroit
After years of criticism for not developing land in midtown Detroit near Little Caesars Arena, the owners have proposed a massive expansion.
Royal Oak plastic surgeon rebuilds 9-year-old's nose, lip
A Royal Oak plastic surgeon is known the world over for taking on some of the toughest cases, including his newest one: a 9-year-old girl who traveled from across the world with her family in search of hope.
The girl from Hungary found her way to Corewell Health's Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak after two bouts with leukemia, chemotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant. The cancer's now in remission but she's not out of the woods. While she was in the hospital back home, she developed a devastating fungal infection that ate away at her nose, lip, and the roof of her mouth that left her disfigured.
The family reached out to Dr. Kongkrit Chaiyasate for help, who met with them in October. Through a series of surgeries funded by a partnership with the Beaumont Foundation, he performed several operations, including a 10-hour microsurgery that took tissue from her arms to create her lip and nose. Facial reconstruction happened only a few days ago.
You can donate to help Aliz on the family's GoFundMe and learn how to help others at Beaumont's website.
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Royal Oak plastic surgeon rebuilds 9-year-old's nose, lip with life-changing procedures
A Royal Oak plastic surgeon is known the world over for taking on some of the toughest cases, including his newest one: a 9-year-old girl who traveled from across the world with her family in search of hope.
Westland man accused of supporting ISIS
A United States national is accused of trying to provide support to ISIS for years. According to federal authorities, Aws Mohammed Naser, 34, formerly of Westland, tried to help the organization between late 2011 and October 2017.
He knew that ISIS was a terror organization when he attempted to provide it with personnel, including himself, and services, authorities said. Naser is facing charges for his alleged involvement, as well as for being a felon in possession of a destructive device. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
He faces up to 20 years in prison for attempting to support ISIS and up to 15 years in prison for possessing the destructive device.
"Today’s indictment serves to remind others what can happen if they attempt to provide assistance to a foreign terrorist organization," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. "The FBI will make every effort to protect Americans at home and abroad and to bring other like-minded criminals to justice."
Ex-Detroit police officer who killed attorney in crash was in 3 previous accidents
The ex-Detroit cop who killed a prominent attorney in an on-duty car crash was involved in three other accidents in the years leading up to it.
Teaira Funderburg's driving record includes seven pages of citations, suspensions and crashes culminating with the one that took attorney Cliff Woodards' life. The question being raised now, why wasn’t something done to keep her from behind the wheel.
Funderburg was sentenced to one year of probation after pleading no contest for the deadly collision. Attorney Arnold Reed is representing Woodard's family in a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against the city.
FOX 2 reached to DPD for comment about Funderburg’s driving records and those crashes leading up to the death of Cliff Woodards. It typically doesn’t comment on pending litigation, but a spokesman says our inquiry is being turned over to their Office of Professional Standards for further review.
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Ex-Detroit police officer who killed attorney in crash was in 3 previous accidents
Teaira Funderburg's driving record includes seven pages of citations, suspensions and crashes culminating with the one that took attorney Cliff Woodards' life. The question being raised now, why wasn’t something done to keep her from behind the wheel.
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Daily Forecast
A mixture of snow and rain and cold and wind graced Metro Detroit with its presence Tuesday and Wednesday morning. We're not quite done with the precipitation and the cold is only going to take hold even more.
What else we're watching
- A Marathon gas station in Wayne County is guaranteeing its gas prices will stay low until Sunday. If you're lucky enough to be driving by it, it's on Ford Road in Dearborn Heights.
- The "Lights On" ceremony from the Wayne County Parks is kicking off the 2022 Lightfest in Westland Thursday. The official unveiling at Merriman Hollow Park is at 6 p.m. and is free to the public.
- This is the first year hunters in Michigan will be required to report their deer harvests during firearm season. Here's a guide on what to know before season kicks off.
- Class continues to be disrupted by threats made at schools in Metro Detroit. Twice in two days students at Ferndale were subjected to breaks in learning because of threats left on notes in bathrooms. Two people have been arrested.
- Is it college basketball season already? The Michigan State Spartans put on a show Tuesday when it outlasted the Kentucky Wildcats in the championship classic. The game went to double overtime before MSU climbed out of reach.
Mormon church shows support for same-sex marriage law, believes act is still unbiblical
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it would back proposed federal legislation to safeguard same-sex marriages, marking the latest show of support for the measure from conservative-leaning groups.
The nearly 17-million member, Utah-based faith said in a statement that church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships to be against God's commandments. Yet it said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn't infringe upon religious groups' right to believe as they choose.
"We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding," the church said in a statement posted on its website.
Find more information on the church's shift in support here.