Community members hold candlelight vigil in remembrance of murdered young couple
Community members gathered Friday night to honor a young couple gunned down at a Metro Detroit gas station in front of their 9-month-old son on Monday, Oct. 18.
Marshae Nash and Benson Lindsey were murdered at a Marathon gas station on the city’s west side. Police say the child was in the car when the two were shot and killed.
Friday night’s candlelight vigil took place with family, friends and old classmates of the couple in attendance. It was held in the same neighborhood where the mother grew up.
“She was a wonderful spirit and again the outpouring of love that is here will continue. And we just ask everyone to continue to provide love and support for this wonderful family. And again just uplift her name Marshae and the class of 2018 and her school family here, will not forget,” said Rod Atkins, the former principal of the mother while speaking at the event.
Two people were arrested in connection with the couple’s deaths. To date no one has been charged.
4 arrested after road rage gun battle, crash in Garden City
Two cars involved in a road rage race and exchanging gunfire crashed at Middlebelt Road and Marquette Street in Garden City, hitting an innocent bystander in a Jeep.
After the crash, those involved fled the scene.
“From what I understand, four people were on foot, four kids all running armed,” said neighbor Scott Breen.
Police and Garden City schools put two nearby elementary schools, Lathers and Memorial, into lockdown. Many parents were already in line for pickup when the lockdown went into effect.
“I was already at the school when I received the message the school was on lockdown,” said Stacy St Aubin.
She and other parents waited about 40 minutes before the school lifted the lockdown.
Police said four suspects are in custody and they are looking for a fifth person. No one was injured from the gunfire, but some injuries were reported following the crash.
Detroit police’s Crisis Intervention Program gets $240K boost from federal grant
More than $240,000 from a Community Policing Development Grant will help out Detroit police.
That federal funding is coming from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
“Chief White has been working with this for so long. He’s very committed to this,” said Detroit Police Captain Tonya Leonard-Gilbert.
Leonard-Gilbert said Chief James White is all about mental health. That’s why he supports all Detroit police officers going through the Crisis Intervention Team Program.
It’s a 40-hour block of training and partnership with Detroit-Wayne Integrated Health Network.
“They’re trained specifically on Crisis Intervention Team, training that focuses on people who are in crisis with a mental health nexus. So that they’re better equipped to go out and recognize, address and resolve, hopefully those who are members that are calling from our community, who fall in that criteria,” said Captain Leonard-Gilbert. “A lot of the members who are now serving in that capacity, who have gone through the training, are very excited. It gives us an added tool, if you will, in our tool belt.”
Weather forecast: Chilly Saturday with a few raindrops 🌧️
COVID in Michigan 🦠
Michigan reported 7,505 new cases of COVID-19 and 118 virus-related deaths Friday -- an average of 3,752.5 cases over the past two days.
Friday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,104,634, including 21,862 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,097,129 cases and 21,744 deaths, as of Wednesday.
The deaths announced Friday include 69 identified during a Vital Records review.
Testing has increased to around 30,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 11.52% as of Wednesday, a slight increase from last week. Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing for several weeks.
The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 3,301 on Friday -- the highest it has been since early May. The 7-day death average was 44 on Friday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.0%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 120,200 on Friday -- the highest it has been since May.
Michigan has reported more than 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Monday, with 68.4% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 60.1% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.
Michigan COVID: Here’s what to know Oct. 23, 2021