wo people were killed and another was injured when a dispute between two groups erupted into gunfire inside a busy Michigan shopping mall, sending terrified shoppers running for safety.
The shooting broke out at approximately 1:25 p.m. Friday, July 3, inside Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, near Michigan Avenue and Evergreen Road.
Police responding to reports of gunfire found three people suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim died at the scene, while a second was rushed to a Metro Detroit hospital and later died.
A third person was hospitalized with injuries that police said were not life-threatening.
The victims ranged in age from their late teens to early 20s, according to investigators. Their identities have not been released.
Dearborn police said the violence began with a dispute between two groups of people who knew each other before the confrontation escalated into gunfire.
Authorities believe all three people who were shot were involved in the incident. Police stressed that the shooting was isolated, was not a random attack and did not present an ongoing threat to the public.
The mall was placed on lockdown and evacuated as officers secured the building and searched for those involved. Henry Ford Medical Center Fairlane, located nearby, was also reportedly locked down as a precaution.
Fairlane Town Center remained closed for several hours while detectives processed the scene, reviewed evidence and interviewed witnesses.
Police later announced that investigators had identified two people believed to have been involved in the deadly shooting. Both were taken into custody and were being held at the Dearborn Police Department.
No charges had been announced as of late Friday, and authorities had not released the identities of the two people being detained.
“The safety of our residents and visitors remains our top priority,” Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said. “Shootings and other acts of violence are entirely unacceptable, and we will hold everyone involved fully accountable.”
Shahin thanked Dearborn officers, first responders and regional and federal law enforcement partners for their swift response, including the University of Michigan-Dearborn Police Department and Michigan State Police.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud also urged the public to stay away from the mall while officers secured and investigated the scene.
Detectives are continuing to interview witnesses and examine evidence as they work to determine exactly what led to the deadly confrontation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dearborn Police Department at 313-943-2240 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers.