A troubling incident on Detroit's east side over the Fourth of July weekend has prompted renewed law enforcement action. As reported by FOX 2 Detroit, a 2-year-old boy was shot and wounded after being caught in the crossfire of an altercation. The shooting took place last Saturday around 11:50 p.m. near Marion Street, where the boy was with family watching fireworks. Detroit Police have since responded with a crackdown on curfew violations, particularly among minors.
Following up on the incident, Police Chief Todd Bettison expressed his dismay, stating, "I'm appalled by it, upset by it, and as a result, this department will definitely be stepping up our efforts tremendously when it comes to curfew violations," according to an interview with CBS News Detroit. The confrontation reportedly involved unattended minors at a park, which escalated to gunfire. The injured boy is expected to make a full recovery, having been described as being in a temporary serious condition but with minimal injuries. As part of the intervention, two juveniles have been detained as persons of interest in the shooting.
Police Chief Bettison underscored the responsibility of parents in ensuring their children are supervised. Detroit's curfew ordinance, as detailed by the Detroit Free Press, mandates that children 15 and younger are not to be out unsupervised from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., while 16 and 17-year-olds have a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Bettison pointed out, "Just the fact that we have a lot of unsupervised juveniles at a park, and understand that it's the holiday weekend, understand that folks are watching fireworks, but at the same time parents still have the responsibility to know where their children are and that they are supervised."
