DETROIT – A Detroit murder suspect is accused of attempting armed robberies on teenagers who he meets to purchase Air Jordan shoes across the city's west side.
Police said Dante Tyrell Ford, 20, has been charged in two separate incidents in which he met up with teenage boys to buy Air Jordan shoes and pulled out a handgun.
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During the first incident, Ford is accused of robbing a 16-year-old boy. In the second incident, he is accused of killing a 17-year-old boy and injuring a 24-year-old man.
Deadly shooting on Detroit's west side
Ford has been charged in the deadly shooting of a 17-year-old boy during one of the arranged meetings, which occurred on Detroit's west side.
Ford is accused of fatally shooting Corey Harris-Thomas and injuring another man inside a car in the 15300 block of Pinehurst Street near Fenkell Avenue and Meyers Road. Police said Harris-Thomas and his 24-year-old friend met with Ford around 1:30 p.m. June 6 because Harris-Thomas had arranged to sell Ford a pair of Air Jordan shoes.
Ford got into the back of Harris-Thomas' SUV and the three drove around for two blocks at Fenkel Avenue and Pinehurst Street, police said. Ford allegedly pulled out a handgun, so the 24-year-old also pulled out a handgun.
The two men wrestled over the guns, and Ford fired a shot, hitting the 24-year-old in the arm, police said. The 24-year-old fired his gun, and Ford fired again, fatally wounding Harris-Thomas, police said.
Harris-Thomas fell out of the SUV and the car crashed into a fence near Fenkell and Pinehurst, police said.
Ford also sustained a gunshot wound. He got out of the SUV and ran away from the scene, police said.
The 24-year-old man called police and stayed at the scene on Pinehurst Street, police said. When officers arrived at 1:43 p.m., they found Harris-Thomas' body in the street.
Medical officials pronounced Harris-Thomas dead at the scene.
The 24-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
He is charged with felony murder, armed robbery, assault with intent to murder, felon in possession of a firearm and a felony firearms violation.
Armed robbery in northwest Detroit
Ford has also been charged in a separate incident. Police said at noon Tuesday Ford arranged to meet a 16-year-old boy in the area of Birwood Avenue and Midland Street in northwest Detroit to buy a pair of Air Jordans from him.
Ford is accused of robbing the teen at gunpoint and fleeing the scene.
He has been charged with armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm and a felony firearms violation.
Ford was arrested at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday by Detroit police.
You can visit Harris-Thomas' family's GoFundMe page here.
Here is some of Local 4's previous coverage of the shooting: