2 arrested, 3rd sought in west Detroit shooting, police chase, car theft

Mark Hicks
The Detroit News

Detroit police arrested two people Thursday and are seeking a third in connection with shooting at an officer and a car, leading officers on a chase and stealing an SUV on the city's west side.

The situation was "very complicated," Detroit police Chief James White told reporters.

Officers patrolling near Greenfield around 5:45 p.m. heard gunshots and tracked down a car they believed was involved, he said.

The occupants told the officers other motorists had shot at them and pointed out the car, but when police stopped it, they learned "that vehicle was not shooting at them but, in fact, being shot at," White said.

The officers then tried to pull over the first car involved, but the driver fled and ended up hitting another vehicle before jumping out with two passengers, the chief said.

Police caught two of the three. An officer followed the third person to Birwood, where he allegedly asked a woman who had just driven home to hide there, White said.

The woman refused and ran inside; the officer arrived as the suspect tried to leave the property. The suspect fired a shot in the officer's direction then jumped a fence and escaped in the silver 2010 Ford Flex the resident had left outside, White said.

The officer was not struck and the weapon the suspect fired has been recovered, White said.

Police were searching for the suspect and the Ford Flex, which White said has a Michigan license plate number of VVM574. 

"This is a person who needs to be off the streets," the chief told reporters.

A full description of the suspect was not yet available, White said. Other details were not released.