Detroit police investigating four possible homicides over 24 hours

Detroit — City police are investigating three separate incidents — at least two of which involved shootings — that happened over the last 24 hours, collectively leaving four victims dead and two injured, officials said Wednesday.

Officers responded to the first incident, a double shooting in the area of East Hancock and John R Streets, around 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday. Two victims were transported to a local hospital where one was pronounced dead and the other is in stable condition, said Officer Justin Hearn, a spokesman for the Detroit Police Department.

The shooting's circumstances are being investigated by the department's homicide division.

Police were called to the second incident at 11:20 a.m. Tuesday in the 1700 block of Third Street, Hearn said. Two individuals, an unidentified man and a woman, were found dead.

Police did not comment on the cause of their deaths. The circumstances are also being investigated by the homicide division.

Officers responded to another double shooting on the city's east side at 12:22 a.m. Wednesday.

The incident unfolded on the 14900 block of Lappin and is also being investigated as a homicide.

One victim found at the scene was pronounced dead there while a second was taken to a local hospital, Hearn said. They are currently listed in critical condition.

The suspected homicides come after city and county leaders earlier this month said Detroit is on pace to record its lowest number of homicides since 1966.

Through Nov. 30, there were 228 criminal homicides in Detroit since Jan. 1, 2023 — an 18% drop from the 278 killings during same period in 2022, officials said on Dec. 4. If that pace continues, Detroit officials said the city would end 2023 with the fewest homicides since 1966, when there were 214 killings.

Anyone who has information about any of the recent incidents is asked to call DPD at (313) 596-2260. Crime Stoppers of Michigan accepts anonymous tips at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

hmackay@detroitnews.com