GARDEN CITY, Mich. – Detroit police are working to figure out why one of their officers was fatally shot while off duty Sunday night at her home in Garden City.
Vera Miller lives near the home on Belton near Cherry Hill Road. She woke up to the sound of gunfire after 11:30 p.m.
UPDATE: Garden City man facing murder charge in fatal shooting of off-duty Detroit police officer
"It's horrible. It's a horrible situation," said Miller.
At first she thought it was fireworks.
"I heard one, a couple seconds later, I heard about three or four more," she said. "I went to go make sure the door was locked and I saw the lights and then I came outside and other neighbors were out. We had no idea what was happening."
The shooting happened about 11:42 p.m., police said. The Detroit police officer lived at the home in Garden City.
"Her coworkers, her fellow officers, this has got to be horrible," said Miller. "You don't expect something like that to happen in your home."
Earlier reports stated there was a second person found injured outside the home. Police are still working to determine who shot the officer and why. No arrests have been announced.
Officer identified
Detroit Police Chief James Craig held a news conference Monday afternoon during which he identified the officer as Elaine Williams, a third-year sergeant with the Detroit Police Department.
Craig said Williams was very active within the department. She served in numerous roles and was most recently working major crimes.