TROY, Mich. – Police are defending their decision not to immediately release information on a man accused of attacking a woman in a Target parking lot and killing a different woman in Detroit days later.
At around 9:10 p.m. on July 7, a woman was getting into her car in the parking lot of a Troy Target store on Coolidge Highway when she was attacked by a man. The attacker, later identified as Andrew Hall, reportedly forced himself into her car and tried to abduct her.
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Hall punched the woman in the face and pulled out a handgun, officials said. The woman fought back and, with the help of a bystander, was able to scare him away.
Hall, 31, fled the scene on foot.
Troy police were notified of the incident, and the woman reportedly provided extensive details about the man and what happened. But police did not share that information with the public until a few days later.
The police department has received some criticism for not immediately sharing the report and photos of the attacker, who was still at large, with the community or other nearby police departments. Residents are saying they want police to make that kind of information public right away so people can be alert and stay safe.
But, when talking with Local 4′s Shawn Ley, Troy police defended their decision not to publicize the investigation early on. Officials said there’s a delicate balance between providing timely, accurate information to the public while conducting an active criminal investigation. Their focus was on catching the alleged attacker, and they didn’t want to release information until they felt it was more solid.
A few days later on Tuesday, July 11, a woman around 30 years old was killed and left behind a building in Detroit. Investigators found video that showed Hall at the scene, exactly matching the description from the Target attack.
Hall was caught by police in Dearborn Heights as he attempted to get on a bus later that day. He was taken into custody and turned over to Detroit police.
Local 4 crime and safety expert Darnell Blackburn says the woman’s death in Detroit might have been avoided if Troy police had warned the public that Hall was on the loose.
“That is unacceptable,” Blackburn said. “There is no reason to have waited, because 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.”
Troy police say they stand by every choice that was made during their investigation. They also added that the woman attacked in the Target parking lot approved of their handling of the investigation, as well.
Hall faces several charges in connection with the Target attack, including unlawful imprisonment, attempted carjacking, felonious assault, aggravated assault, and more. Charges have not yet been issued for the Detroit homicide.