Detroit — Detroit police officials have launched a unit dedicated to helping victims of violent crime and their families by providing information about their cases and emotional support.

The Family Advocate and Manager Liaison for Engagement (FAMLE) Unit will connect violent crime victims and their relatives to services, said Detroit police Chief James White. The unit will consist of sworn and civilian Detroit Police Department employees.

“Our investigators do a great job at balancing their work to find those responsible for crimes and communicating updates with families,” White said in a statement. “It’s a difficult task, and to support them and our families, we are centralizing the resources we have to offer under one unit. FAMLE will refocus our efforts to engage and inform victims’ families as we work to bring them closure.”

According to a DPD news release, the new unit’s mission “is to offer compassionate advocacy, guidance and resources to families impacted by violent crime. Through this effort, we will ensure that the voices of affected families are heard and their needs met throughout the investigative process.”

“FAMLE seeks to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the community by promoting transparency, empathy and a commitment to justice, all while providing crucial emotional and informational support to families during times of crisis,” the department said.

The FAMLE unit can be reached at (313) 596-2260.

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@GeorgeHunter_DN

MILWAUKEE – One person is dead and another is injured after different shootings in Milwaukee on Sunday, Oct. 6.

20th and Cornell

A 16-year-old was shot around 1 p.m. and went to the hospital for treatment. The teen victim succumbed to their injury.

The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation. Police are looking for anyone involved.

Birch and Sheridan

A 25-year-old was shot around 5:30 p.m. The victim went to the hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.

Police are still investigating and looking for anyone involved.

MPD tips

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or use the P3 Tips app.

MINNEAPOLIS — Hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets of downtown Minneapolis on Sunday to rally against Israel’s war in Gaza, a day before Israel marks one year since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

“I thought last year would be a trend, people would stop caring, and that’s not true,” said Maysoon Wazwaz with American Muslims for Palestine.

Meredith Aby with the Anti-War Committee says she’s concerned about the U.S. sending weapons to Israel in a conflict that’s now left tens of thousands dead in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.

“I do know that the places that I’ve visited in Gaza have been destroyed,” Aby said.  

In August, the State Department announced the U.S. approval of $20 billion in weapons, fighter jets and missiles for Israel over the next several years.

“We really feel like Israel would not be able to get away with this genocide if the United States, in particular the Biden administration, wasn’t sending all these weapons,” Aby said.

Here at home, Aby says people in Minneapolis are worried about their family members in the Middle East, in a conflict that’s now expanded to Lebanon.

“They’re very concerned about whether or not their grandmother, their brother, their sister, their aunt, their uncle are going to be even living tomorrow,” Aby said.

Aby says they won’t rest until the U.S. completely divests from Israel.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara announced on Saturday that extra patrols will be deployed at the city’s synagogues ahead of the Jewish holy days and the commemoration of the Oct. 7 attacks in the aftermath of terroristic threats made against Temple Israel.