Detroit, MI
Downtown Detroit puts final touches on Christmas tree lighting ceremony
(CBS DETROIT) – Downtown Detroit will begin to be a lot brighter just in time for the Christmas season. The city will host its 21st annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Friday.
“A lot of what we’re focused on is making sure is not only is it a great family event for all ages, but truly a safe event,” said Eric Larson, CEO of Downtown Detroit Partnership.
The countdown is on, and the final decorations are being staged. The city expects at least 50,000 people to travel downtown to witness the spectacle.
“Pack your patience because, as you see, streets are blocked off now, they’ll be blocked off then, so you’re going to park out a little way,” Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington said.
Safety is a big priority and over 100 officers will be out and about. In past years, city leaders say minors have had habits of attending, and this year, they plan to crack down and even ticket parents who aren’t supervising their kids.
“Minors that are 15 and under. They need supervision at 8 p.m.; if you are 16 or 17 years old, your supervision starts at 11 pm,” Interim Police Chief Todd Bettison said.
This will mark Bettision’s first time hosting a major event since becoming interim chief. He says he’s ready, and although many officers will be downtown, other parts of the city won’t be neglected.
“We ensure that the neighborhoods are covered and that its adequate officers are still in the neighborhood of the city so that those runs are being answered. I’m not neglecting anything we have it all covered,” Bettison said.
Campus Martius and all surrounding areas will be packed. With an event of such size. CBS News Detroit learned that DPD, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police partnered to keep the area safe.
“Everyone in law enforcement agencies are short in manpower. It’s important that we come together as one band,” Washington said.
Authorities say it’s a gun-free zone, and metal detectors will be out checking people. By the night’s end, Downtown Detroit will be lit up with nearly 1 million Christmas lights.
Detroit, MI
2 men dead in unrelated overnight Detroit shootings
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Two men are dead after being shot in the early morning hours of Sunday, in what police say were separate incidents.
Both shootings took place in between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. We’re told that one shooting happened in the 19000 block of Kelly Road on Detroit’s east side, and the other happened in the 8700 block of Quincy Street on Detroit’s west side.
Authorities say that the circumstances that led up to each of these shootings are unknown. No suspects have been arrested in relation to these cases.
Detroit, MI
Hundreds gather for rally against gun violence on Detroit’s east side
Community violence intervention groups, local organizations and law enforcement partners joined forces on Saturday to send a message that it’s time to put an end to gun violence in Detroit.
Hundreds attended the annual Silence the Violence rally on the city’s east side. One of the event’s participants, Latina Mack, is a member of the community violence intervention group Force Detroit.
“I combine myself with Force Detroit to be able to help these kids, to give them the resources, to provide opportunities for them, to do things that they have never done before,” Mack said.
In 2023, her 17-year-old son, Elijah, was killed in an accidental shooting.
“My son’s death prompted me to want to do more. I just didn’t want anybody else to go through what I go through on a regular basis. Sometimes that’s the biggest thing, just showing up and letting people know I’m here.” Mack said.
Organizers say the rally and march are about honoring those lost to gun violence, bringing awareness to ongoing struggles and showing support to those who need it.
“It’s very, very important to the survivors, and it’s more than just the survivors as it relates to the families, but the whole community is surviving this stuff because they seen it,” Dujuan Zoe Kennedy, executive director, Force Detroit, said.
Kennedy added that when it comes to gun violence, if you can predict it, you can prevent it.
“We know the root causes of violence are poverty. We know the root causes of violence are psychological, emotional and mental wellness. So we have to provide those things, we have to be there, we have to be trauma-informed and we have to operate and provide economic mobility,” Kennedy said.
One example of a community violence intervention success is Jordan Owens.
“I got a lot of good mentorship, and a lot of good guidance from them and I feel like I’m going down a better path,” Owens said.
The 16-year-old was arrested with a gun just a few years ago.
“I wasn’t necessarily beefing with people doing that, but people were in my neighborhood getting robbed, killed, hurt and I felt like I just needed protection at my age. I felt like I didn’t have nobody to protect me and I felt like I had to do it myself,” Owens said.
Now he realizes that’s not the case.
“It’s more to life than just all of this stuff in the neighborhoods and all of that. We all have the opportunity to change our lives and do better, and you just have to want that change for yourself.”
Owens has become an entrepreneur, starting both landscaping and car detailing services.
“I’d love to be a good community member, speaking to the youth and stuff like that, and doing more stuff like this. And I just want to go to college, continue with my businesses,” Owens said.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Tigers tally only 2 hits in 4-0 loss to Seattle Mariners
The Detroit Tigers notched only two hits in a 4-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday afternoon.
Seattle pitcher Bryce Miller allowed one hit in six scoreless innings in the game.
Dominic Canzone drove in two runs with a pair of long extra-base hits for the Mariners, who had lost two straight after an eight-game winning streak.
Detroit was 4-0 in June after going 6-22 in May.
Miller (2-0) allowed a lead-off triple to Colt Keith in the third and walked two batters while striking out nine. He has allowed 16 hits in 27 innings this season, striking out 29.
Tigers starter Keider Montero (2-4) gave up four runs on six hits in five innings.
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the second when Canzone doubled off the 412-foot sign in center, scoring Randy Arozarena from first.
Arozarena then hit a two-run double in the third to put Seattle up 3-0.
The Tigers missed their best opportunity in the third when Keith led off the inning with his triple to center. Miller, though, retired the next three hitters on a pop-up and two strikeouts.
Canzone then led off the fourth with a 451-foot homer over the second level of shrubbery above the centerfield fence.
Up next
The teams finish their weekend series on Sunday afternoon with Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (1-7, 5.31) facing RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.53).
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