Five teen boys were hurt in a mass shooting on Pontiac’s south side early Friday morning.
Injuries to the three 14-year-olds and two 15-year-olds are not believed to be life threatening, according to Oakland County Sheriff’s officials. Four of the teens are from Pontiac. One of the 15-year-olds is an Auburn Hills resident.
Police were called to the 300 block of South Jessie Street, north of Osmun Street, just after 12:15 a.m. for a reported shooting. Witnesses told police that a fight had broken out during a large party and shots were fired into the crowd.
The first deputies on the scene applied a tourniquet on one victim and took him to an area hospital. Star EMS and the Waterford fire department aided the other shooting victims and took them to area hospitals. Deputies on the scene found multiple shell casings.
The shooting happened in Pontiac’s First District, represented by Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford. She said the shootings could have been avoided.
“These children will now have a horrible memory of the Fourth of July because they were at an unauthorized party,” she said. “Why don’t people understand there is a need to have a place for these kids to go, even if it’s the Fourth of July, that is safe? We have got to do more to protect our biggest asset, which is our children, and we’ve got to follow the laws of the land.”
Sheriff’s officials said a 34-year-old man, described by Mayor Tim Greimel as the party’s host, was arrested for outstanding warrants unrelated to the shooting. He was in the county jail as of Friday afternoon, pending arraignment.
Greimel called the incident “a tragic and senseless act of violence” and said he was relieved the teens’ injuries were not more serious.
“The gathering was apparently organized by a thirty-something year-old whose family was denied a request back in April to hold a gathering like this,” he said. “He didn’t request permission this time, and the city and Sheriff’s office had no idea the event was going to happen.”
Greimel encouraged anyone with information about the incident to share it with detectives “so that the shooter can be identified and held accountable for this horrible violence against our community’s young people.”
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers of Michigan with tips. People can remain anonymous while sharing information. Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest. Call at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or visit https://www.1800speakup.org for details.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers of Michigan with tips about this incident. People can remain anonymous while sharing information. Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest. Call at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or visit https://www.1800speakup.org for details.