Police negotiate with shooting suspect in hotel near Detroit

Author of the article:

Associated Press

Corey Williams, Claire Savage And Mike Householder

DEARBORN, Mich. — Police negotiated Thursday afternoon in a suburban Detroit hotel room with an armed man they say wounded one person in gunfire that led to evacuations and lockdowns in a popular dining and shopping area.

The shooting stemmed from a dispute over money with staff at the Hampton Inn in Dearborn, Police Chief Issa Shahin said at a news briefing. The wounded person was taken to a hospital, their name and condition not released.

The suspect was contained in the hotel and armed with a long gun, Police Cpl. Dan Bartok told reporters.

“Negotiators are working trying to resolve this peacefully,” Bartok said.

Shots were reported shortly after 1 p.m. at the hotel in the busy district in Dearborn, a city of over 100,000 people just west and southwest of Detroit.

Police evacuated the hotel and surrounding businesses. Traffic into the busy downtown was blocked, Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said.

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Earlier, state police tweeted that the “situation is active and dangerous” and that shots still “were being fired by the suspect.”

Officers in tactical gear could be seen, as well as emergency vehicles.

Some businesses near the hotel, including Dearborn Federal Savings Bank and Better Health Market, locked down with customers inside.

“There are police everywhere,” said Cheryl Seguin, a security officer at the bank. “Police from multiple jurisdictions and federal, county, state agencies. Multiple police cars and other types of units — EMS, just about everything.”

Patrick Collins, manager of the Better Health Market, described seeing police, automatic weapons and ambulances. Three customers were inside the market.

“There’s a lot going on,” he said.