'We need evidence': Witnesses still not talking after teen fatally shot at Southfield hotel, police chief says

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Police say the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy at the Westin Southfield Hotel a year ago remains unsolved because the boy's friends won't tell investigators what led to the shooting.

Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren held a one-year update on the case Wednesday to address where the case currently stands.

What we know:

Tyler Johnson, of Ferndale, was at the hotel with a group of teens when he was shot in the head on Feb. 11, 2024. He was on life support for several days before dying.

Chief: Friends of teen fatally shot at Southfield Weston one year ago refuse to talk

A one-year-old teen shooting death remains unsolved because of a lack of cooperation from his four friends - all witnesses to the crime, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said.

Police said one of the teen's uncles had rented the room for the minors and then left the five teens there unattended.

Two of the teens were detained after the shooting. Barren said one of the detained minors was in possession of two firearms. One of the guns was reported stolen out of Flint in June 2023, while the other weapon was unregistered. One of those guns was found to be the one that killed Johnson, Barren said.

Further investigation in the hotel room revealed a spent 40 caliber shell casing, 20 live rounds inside a 9mm extended magazine, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, and a scale, police said.

The teen who had the guns has been charged with carrying concealed weapons, but no other charges have been filed against anyone, including the adult who rented the hotel room. Barren said that person hasn't been charged because police would have to prove that they knew they were contributing to the delinquency of a minor when booking the hotel.

What we don't know:

Despite the physical evidence, Barren said the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office cannot file charges against anyone without having an eyewitness. The parents of the four teens who were with Johnson when he was shot have retained lawyers for their children, and they are not speaking with police.

Barren said one of the teen's parents did bring him to police for questioning, but stopped the interview when he was asked what happened inside the hotel room.

"We need evidence," Barren said "We have physical evidence. We have circumstantial evidence. What we need is an eyewitness to bring those things together."

Barren said it isn't clear who fired the weapon or why the gun was shot, and investigators will not know that information until someone comes forward.

"To move this case forward, there are four people who witnessed this. I need at least one of the four to have the courage to come forward and give us the information that we need," Barren said.

What they're saying:

Barren said during the press conference that he is "baffled" that the teens are not talking because they were all close friends of Johnson.

"I would think that out of four witnesses, you at least have one that will say, ‘Hey, this isn't right. I know what happened,'" Barren said.

What's next:

If none of the teens come forward with information, Barren said investigators will attempt to speak to them again when they turn 18.

"We're going to at least try because maybe out of four eyewitnesses, maybe one of them wants to talk, but maybe the parent isn't allowing them to talk," he said.

The Source: FOX 2 attended a Southfield Police press conference to obtain information for this story.