Melvindale Police Lt. Robert Kennaley (right) speaks about the May 14 shooting at the civic center during the May 17 City Council meeting, as City Administrator Richard Ortiz (left), Mayor Wheeler Marsee, Corporate Counsel Roger Kaly and Councilmembers Joe Jackson and Julie Rauser listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Three 18-year-old men suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds during a conflict between Arabic and Hispanic teens shortly before 9 p.m. May 14 outside the Civic Arena, 4300 Dearborn St.
Police officers arrived to find one man shot in the chest and abdomen, one in the abdomen and a third in the abdomen, leg and hand. All are expected to recover.
The gunman, described as a short, thin Hispanic male, about 16 to 17 years old and wearing a black ski mask, is still at large.
Police Lt. Robert Kennaley, who spoke at the May 17 City Council meeting, said the detective bureau has been doing “a phenomenal job” following up with people of interest, and he has met with Melvindale High School Principal Trevor Kessell, a vice principal and with students, discussing online bullying and how to prevent it.
“We are taking steps so that this won’t happen again,” Kennaley said. “Basically, they were having an Internet conflict that sprung up from there.”
Kennaley said that while the incident is still under investigation, the Police Department is taking measures with the students involved and with the high school to make sure an incident doesn’t occur again.
“People understand the severity, obviously, and that is a shock in itself to where that kind of resolved itself,” he said. “So, by talking to students, friends and family members we have an understanding that this shouldn’t have happened and it’s prevented from happening again.”
Kennaley said school counselors are available to talk with students.
“Since Monday, I have been there every single day, talking with students, talking with the vice principal, the principal and making sure that this was taken care of,” he said. “It’s resolved, so there isn’t going to be a threat towards Melvindale High School or any of the residents.”
Kennaley said he doesn’t see it as a racial crime.
“You have people who are proud, and that is basically what it is,” he said. “If it wasn’t for online, if this would have been on the school grounds, then it would’ve been a fight, and that’s it – they would have been separated and everything else.”
Kennaley said the online component drew more people into the conflict.
“Everybody started getting into this chat room, and people came from all over the place, so something small ended up really big to where three individuals were injured because of it,” he said. “It’s hard to give information, because it is an active investigation, but I can tell you that it is more of proudness than anything else.
“It’s like ‘I’m prouder than you, and let’s show each other how proud we are’ – I would say how stupid we are – ‘let’s fight it out’ – so, they met to fight and other people came that wasn’t a part of this but came here because they saw everybody wanting to do something and then brought a gun and decided to shoot some kids,” he said.
Kennaley said the response time from the Police Department was “phenomenal,” and one of the speeders who was leaving the civic center who was involved with the fighting was actually pulled over on Allen Road.
He said when police officers responded to the calls regarding shots fired, they had actually heard the gunshots themselves and quickly arrived at the civic center.
Kennaley said Officer Justin Holbrooks applied a tourniquet to one person, saving the young man’s life, since a major artery was hit.
He said another teen was shot in the chest, and said Sgt. Humayun Rahman recognized the type of injury as a possible collapsed lung, and put an occlusive dressing on it, which allowed the victim to breath again.
“If Sgt. Rahman and Officer Holbrooks didn’t do what they did, this would be a double homicide,” Kennaley said.
He said the third victim, who was shot in the abdomen, leg and hand, is out of the hospital and “doing well.”
“It happened really quick, a lot of videos, the Arabic community is phenomenal and very supportive,” Kennaley said. “They have been coming to us and we have been inundated with phone calls, videos and still pictures, so it’s just a matter of time before this will be resolved.”
Mayor Wheeler Marsee thanked the assisting agencies from Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Southgate and Dearborn, as well as the Wayne County Sheriffs Department.
“The story is closing, so that’s a good thing,” Kennaley said.
Anyone with information about the identity of the shooter is urged to contact Police Detective Lt. Nick Martinez at 313-429-1040, Ext. 1406.