3 killed, 3 officers shot in barricaded gunman incident on Detroit's east side

DETROIT (WJBK) - Three women were killed and three officers were shot in an ongoing barricaded gunman situation that began Sunday night on Detroit's east side.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig says the suspect has been identified as a 49-year-old man. Two women have been killed, one in her 60s and another in her 50s or 60s; one person may possibly be dead; and three officers were shot in the knee/leg area. Police are still investigating how the situation began, but believe it may have started with an argument between the suspect and one of the female victims. 

Craig says one of the officers shot is an off-duty DPS officer who lives in the neighborhood. Police say a situation began around 10 p.m. in the 19400 block of Lamont. That officer called 911 and was met by responding officers. During this melee, the suspect fired an unknown number of rounds and attacked the two women. He then began firing at the off-duty DPS officer and the responding Detroit police 11th Precinct officers.

2 women killed, Detroit officer shot in standoff with barricaded gunman

These officers were pinned down for at least an hour before special response teams arrived, who were able to quickly get in and remove those who were shot, Craig said. They stayed at the situation from 10:30 p.m. last night until 5 a.m. this morning. MSP was notified early and have assumed the inner perimeter of the situation.

Craig says there was a second attack on the officers, where a DPD officer was shot and was rescued by his partner and other officers. Officers suffered minor injuries - one is still the hospital expected to be released in the next day, the DPS officer expected to be released today, and a third officer has already been released.

During the SRT deployment, there were at least three deployments of gas. Craig says police had several contacts with the suspect  up until that point. The third was deployed around 2 a.m., when police had their last contact with the suspect. He did not respond.

Detroit police officer shot, suspected gunman barricaded inside home

Craig says one family member loosely reported the suspect may be suffering from a mental illness. The chief says he had been heard saying he would not go down without a fight. 

"He clearly expressed an intention to do harm," Craig said. 

Police say there's a possibility there may be a third victim inside. MSP has relieved their SRT assets and are working the situation. Craig says at the appropriate time they will go in.

It was believed at one time during the situation that a neighbor had been firing shots, so he was taken into custody. But police determined he had not been, and that the neighbor alerted the off-duty DPS officer as to the shots fired.

Police say the suspect has seven guns that are registered to him and had access to a rifle.