Troy police respond to criticism over delayed release of info on Target store parking lot attack

TROY, Mich. – The Troy Police Department have been receiving criticism over why they waited days to release information into the attack at the Target store parking lot.

The man involved in the parking lot attack, Andrew Hall, 31, is accused of committing murder in Detroit a few days later, which had people asking why the information wasn’t released to the public expeditiously.

The community wants Troy police to alert the public when an incident occurs, such as this one, with the attacker on the run.

Police told Local 4 that they stand by their decision to keep the investigation close to the vest and quiet for three days.

Dearborn police eventually arrested Hall in the Dearborn Heights area of Telegraph Road and Midway Avenue as he tried to get on a bus.

Abduction attempt in Troy

A woman said she was attacked at 9:10 p.m. Friday (July 7) in the parking lot of the Target store at Coolidge Highway in Troy.

The woman claims Hall came up behind her, forced her door open, punched her in the face, and then showed her a gun.

She yelled and said a fellow shopper in the parking lot helped scare him off.

Troy police K-9 tracked the attacker, and they knew he was on foot and could and did attack again.

Troy police had security camera images of the attacker.

But Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday came and went, and Troy police did not show the public images of the man, which could have quickly led to his arrest.

They did not alert the public to be careful while he was on the loose, nor did they inform other police departments to be on the lookout for Hall, who was a violent suspect.

We asked Troy police why they did not hold up the photo and alert the community about the vicious attack the night it happened.

Local 4 Crime and Safety expert Darnell Blackburn says that is exactly what police should have done.

“That is unacceptable,” said Blackburn. “There is no reason to have waited because, again, you have a crime that is a very serious crime that was committed, and you want to get the information out as soon as possible to prevent other people from becoming victims.”

Blackburn says he feels for that woman’s family knowing information about her killer was not made public by Troy police for three days.

“My heart goes out for that family because this is something that possibly could have been prevented,” Blackburn said.

Detroit murder

Hall has also been named a person of interest in a murder that happened just after midnight Tuesday morning in the 300 block of West McNichols Road in Detroit.

Assistant Detroit police Chief David LeValley said someone met up with a woman at the scene. There was an altercation between the two, and the woman was killed. A knife might have been involved, according to authorities.

LeValley said the woman was about 30 years old. Her body was left behind a building.

When detectives received a call about the body, they investigated and found video that showed Hall at the scene, they said.

“Based on the clothing description, everything matching exactly, we believe it to be the same individual,” LeValley said.

You can watch LeValley’s full Tuesday update below.