Trump's controversial Detroit jab • Girl randomly attacked at Detroit park • Security guard killed in Taylor

FRIDAY NEWS HIT - Former President Donald Trump is facing backlash from leaders after he made a jab at Detroit - while speaking in Detroit.

During a visit to the Detroit Economic Club on Thursday, he tried to deter people from voting for his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, by saying the country would become Detroit if she is elected.

"You wanna know the truth? It'll be like Detroit," Trump said. "Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she's your president."

The comments drew backlash from both Detroit and Michigan leaders.

"This is what he has proven to be time and time again," Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield said. "Where have you been, Trump? Detroit is on the rise."

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan pointed out how the city just hosted the NFL Draft in the spring, a successful event that drew large crowds to the city.

Harris also issued a statement addressing the comments, saying that he "trashed another great American city," adding that it's more evidence that he is not fit to lead the country.

Trump's campaign responded in a statement, saying in part, "Like many Americans, President Trump remembers when Detroit was lauded as the gold standard for auto manufacturing success and revolutionized the industry. Detroit has suffered from globalist policies championed by Kamala Harris that have shipped manufacturing overseas."

The statement went on to note a population drop in the city, the murder rate in Detroit, and poverty levels.

Security guard killed in Taylor

A woman's boyfriend is in custody after she was shot and killed while working as a security guard in Taylor on Wednesday night.

Cynthia Platt, 26, was armed and on duty at an industrial park on Monroe when she was killed. Police said her boyfriend called 911 and reported a suicide, but it was evident to investigators that it wasn't a self-inflicted death. According to police, her gun and vehicle were both gone when they arrived. 

"Eventually, we tracked down his (the boyfriend) whereabouts down in Hamtramck. He's currently at the police department while we complete the investigation," Det./Lt. Frank Canning said.

The boyfriend hasn't been charged yet.

As the investigation continues, Cynthia's family is reeling from shock.

"I actually talked to her a few days ago - we were talking because she was telling me about enrolling back in school," her cousin, Rebecca Platt, said.

Rebecca wonders what else could have been done to prevent the tragedy.

"It has been a lot of times where she’s been in situations where she’s been uncomfortable, expressed concern for her safety," said Rebecca. "As many of our family members - we tried to help her to remove her from the situation but you know you can only do so much."

Girl randomly attacked at Detroit park

Seven-year-old Saida Mashrah was just playing at Ryan Park on Detroit's west side on Tuesday when she was randomly attacked and slashed by a 73-year-old man.

"A guy came up to me," Mashrah said. "He pulled my face up and then in the other hand was a knife. He just came out of nowhere and slid the knife on me." 

Mashrah says she kicked him and ran to her nearby home for help.

That man was identified as Gary Lansky. He's now charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and felonious assault.

Mashrah suffered a laceration under her neck that required three stitches. She said Lansky also tried to stab her in the stomach, but she got away.

Lansky was arrested without incident.

"He was extremely calm, which was kind of strange," Detroit Police Cmdr. Vernal Newson said.

Newson said they investigated whether the stabbing was a hate crime, but did not find evidence that the girl was targeted because of her ethnicity. Family members of the suspect told police he may have been suffering from mental health distress and had called his sister to tell her that he was considering hurting himself.

Businessman charged in multi-million penny stock scam

Robert Shumake is a guy who keeps reinventing himself - a businessman, an author, a spiritual leader of a church. One thing remains the same, he always seems to get himself in trouble.

Rob Wolchek has been doing Hall of Shame stories on Shumake for years

In 2017 they spoke when Shumake was in Oakland County Court.

Wochek: "Well, we're trying to talk to Robert. Would he like to say anything?"

Shumake: "To a real journalist, certainly."

Wolchek: "Well I'm here."

In 2010 Wolchek did a story where Shumake literally ran away from him. We'll look at more of the old messes Robert got himself into in a minute. First, here's the new mess.
      
Shumake been indicted by the feds for allegedly being the mastermind of a multimillion-dollar penny-stock scam. The indictment: The United States of America versus Bobby Shumake Japhia, AKA Robert Samual Shumake.

Shumake is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of obstruction which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

According to the press release, Shumake is charged with "defrauding investors in Minerco Inc. leading to millions of dollars in investor losses" as well as "obstruction of a Securities and Exchange Commission proceeding by destroying evidence."    

Another Northern Lights chance!

Miss last night's aurora over Michigan? You may get lucky tonight.

Friday's view line for the aurora encompasses all of Michigan again Friday, with the chance of seeing the lights most likely from the middle of the state and up. Much of the Upper Peninsula is currently marked red on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center prediction map, meaning the area has the strongest chance of seeing the aurora. 

Earlier this week, the NOAA forcecasted a severe solar storm fueled by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that began Tuesday evening. According to NOAA, CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth.

Of course, weather is a key factor in seeing the lights. As of Friday morning, the skies are expected to be clear for tonight, so keep your eyes to the sky!

The Pulse: Trump's Detroit comments & both candidates' economic plans

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

Today will be warmer than it's been, but the temps drop back down this weekend.

What else we're watching

1. Johnathon Williams, a security guard at a Detroit factory, is facing charges after authorities say he shot and killed a man during a dispute Sunday night.
2. A man accused of attacking a German tourist who was visiting Detroit was ordered to undergo a competency exam on Thursday. Lawrence Gilchrist, 30, was initially charged with assault after the Sept. 7 attack near Campus Martius but it was upgraded to murder when the victim died.
3. A review of Michigan's Emergency 911 Fund found the treasury department's database does not accurately reflect payments that help pay for the state's emergency communication services.
4. The Detroit Tigers head to Cleveland for game five of the ALDS on Saturday after falling to the Guardians on Thursday, a loss that tied the series 2-2.
5. An innocent driver died Thursday morning as two women assaulted three Hamtramck police before leading a police chase and hitting the other car. The women tried to run away after but were caught and arrested.

Hurricane Milton death toll rises

Power and other utilities continued to slowly be restored across Florida on Friday after Hurricane Milton made landfall on the Gulf Coast, flooding neighborhoods and spawning deadly tornadoes.

The death toll increased on Friday, with at least eight people killed in the storm.

At its peak, more than 4 million customers were without electricity in the state. Milton also flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off a baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane.

It came just two weeks after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to Florida. But despite the most recent destruction, many people expressed relief that Milton wasn't worse. The hurricane spared Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialized.

The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane in Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa. Damage was widespread, and water levels may continue to rise for days, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said it was not "the worst-case scenario."