1 dies in shooting at Highland Park auto supplier plant; suspect held
Highland Park — A 40-year-old man died Wednesday morning and a 29-year-old male suspect was in custody after a shooting outside a Highland Park automotive parts factory following a fight between two coworkers, according to police.
The shooting at the Forvia plant on Oakland Park Boulevard south of the Davison Freeway happened after a fight inside the plant spilled outside, said Highland Park Police Deputy Chief Darrell Patterson.
Highland Park officers responded to the scene following a call about an assault. The fight in the plant allegedly was over the use of a tool, Patterson said. It resulted in the men being escorted out of the seating plant.
When emergency medical services arrived, the 29-year-old man declined to be taken to the hospital. Patterson didn't know what injuries he had sustained.
"Apparently he got into his vehicle, and while he drove in the parking lot, he observed the victim sitting in his car," Patterson said. "The victim got out and proceeded to approach the shooter at his car. Words were exchanged, and then there was gunfire."
Officers responded quickly to the scene after hearing the gunshots half a block away, Patterson said. The victim was taken to Detroit Medical Center's Detroit Receiving Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 9:30 a.m.
The suspect is being held at the Highland Park detention facility.
Forvia spokeswoman Misty Matthews didn't confirm the shooting or the number of employees who work at the plant but said in a statement Wednesday that "(the company's) priority is the safety of our team and supporting them in any way we can."
"We are working closely with the local authorities as they conduct their investigation," Matthews said.
Several employees exiting the plant early Wednesday declined to comment. One worker said she was too distraught.
The shooting comes on the heels of Forvia announcement Tuesday that it was closing its metals department and laying off 268 employees at the plant.
The company is moving production to another facility and plans to complete the job cuts by Jan. 31.
Forvia, meant to be a combination of "forward" and "via," was formerly known as Faurecia SE. It changed its name after acquiring Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. The French company's North American headquarters is in Auburn Hills.
The company has more than 114,000 employees and operates more than 300 plants and research and development centers worldwide, including four in Michigan and 18 in Mexico.
Late Wednesday morning, Highland Park police officers searched several cars at the plant, which is surrounded by a black fence, as a steady stream of traffic left the campus. Three cars eventually were towed, but police declined to talk to the media as they continued their investigation.
In July 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives accused a Detroit man and former employee of the plant of threatening to blow it up.
Staff Writer Charles E. Ramirez contributed.
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