2 Dead After Standoff Between Gunman, Police In Detroit

DETROIT, MI – A gunman fatally shot a woman who had taken in his estranged girlfriend, and then turned the weapon on himself, Detroit police said Monday. The ex-girlfriend was wounded in the attack, and has been taken to a nearby hospital.

Children, including a 9-day-old girl, were also able to get out of the house alive, police said.

Officers were called to the home in the 2600-block of Wreford Avenue just after 7 a.m. Monday, said police Chief James Craig during a press briefing today. Officers, as well as Detroit Police Special Response Team, responded to what they considered an active shooter situation.

The chief said the suspect, a 37-year-old man, forced his way into the home and fired his gun several times, hitting his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend three times.

She escaped from the home with an 11-year-old child, who was not harmed. The ex-girlfriend was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, Craig said.

A second woman, whose home it was where the attack took place, did not survive. The 26-year-old woman was fatally wounded in the incident. After she was killed, the man killed himself, said Craig, who called the incident a murder-suicide.

When police entered the home, officers found the 9-day-old girl, who was suffering from hypothermia. The baby girl, the daughter of the ex-girlfriend and the gunman, was taken to a nearby hospital. Craig said the hypothermia was a result of the cold air in the home during the incident.

Craig called it a "tragic" incident. He said the ex-girlfriend had taken steps to get away from the suspect, who had a violent history with weapons, narcotics and assault with an intent to murder. The ex-girlfriend also had a personal protection order against the gunman and moved to her friend's home to get away from him.

"It appears someone disclosed the location of her whereabouts to this violent suspect," Craig said.

Although police were not called until Monday, Craig said the incident actually started brewing on Sunday evening.

"Had someone called us yesterday, maybe this could have been prevented," Craig said. "It's unfortunate, especially during the holiday season. We urge people to seek help."

Police were not able to make contact with the suspect or anyone in the house prior to the shootings occurring.

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