Westland is grappling with yet another tragic incident, a suspected murder-suicide that claimed two lives on Tuesday night. According to ClickOnDetroit, a man called 911 before 7:30 p.m., declared he had shot his girlfriend and intended to shoot himself. It's reported that the dispatcher heard a gunshot followed by silence during the call.
The residence, located on Surrey Heights Street, was quickly attended by first responders shortly after the call. Police were forced to enter the house, where they discovered 52-year-old Joseph King and 46-year-old Melissa Hattar, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. The Detroit News identified the deceased as a couple living together in the home.
The trend of murder-suicides within Metro Detroit is alarming, with several other similar incidents reported in recent months. The Westland case seems to tragically echo these past events, raising concerns about the patterns of domestic violence and its stark outcomes. The Hometown Life article notes that the Westland Police Department has an ongoing investigation into the deaths of King and Hattar.
In a statement obtained by Hometown Life, Deputy Police Chief Robert Wilkie said, "During the course of the 9-1-1 call, the dispatcher heard what sounded like a gunshot and then silence on the open line afterward," as per Hometown Life. Authorities continue to comb through the details of the case to piece together the events that led up to the double fatality. Anyone with potentially relevant information is being urged to reach out to the Westland Police Department at 734-722-9600.
