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Family seeks help to identify deadly block party shooter that killed son in Detroit

Man was killed during 4th of July party

DETROIT – The family of 23-year-old Jordan Thornhill is still waiting for answers more than two months after he was killed.

Thornhill, a recent Michigan State University graduate, was back home in Detroit for the summer, reconnecting with family and friends.

On the 4th of July, he was celebrating at a block party on Cherrylawn Street. Family says he had called his brother for a ride home seconds before the gunfire broke out.

His brother, who was just a block away at the time, heard the shots and couldn’t get a response from Thornhill on the phone.

When he arrived, he discovered Jordan had been shot. He died on the scene from his injuries.

“He was a bright young man who we would all be proud to call our son,” said Detroit Police James White, who announced a $25,000 reward in hopes of finding the person responsible. “He was doing beautiful things for the community; he’s no longer here. No longer here to be the next police chief, reporter, all taken away because someone was irresponsible with a gun.”

Investigators say the evidence collected at the scene leads them to believe multiple guns were fired and that some of it could have been celebratory gunfire.

But they won’t know for sure until someone comes forward, and the Thornhills can’t move forward without knowing who took their son and why.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up. All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous. Click here to submit a tip online.


About the Author

Pamela Osborne is thrilled to be back home at the station she grew up watching! You can watch her on Local 4 News Sundays and weeknights. Pamela joined the WDIV News Team in February 2022, after working at stations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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