Carjacking @ Avery & Ferry Park

rental car with two occupants jacked just after noon - 1 shot dead, 1 critically injured - hope they weren't tourists

A carjacking in Detroit? Surely you jest?

But it happens everywhere so no big deal.


/sarcasm off.

ya know, the only time my parents had their van broken into was in Windsor

Yup we have crackheads too. But it happens everywhere...

To me, this sounds like something other than a carjacking. Only WDIV is reporting this as a "carjacking." All the other news outlets are reporting this as a "shooting."

Back in 1982 I was living on the westside, but my fiancee lived in Woodbridge. Oft times I would dally into the wee hours of the early morning, and take my leave when we both saw fit.
On the occasion I speak about here, I had just walked out of her apt., when two Afro-American men
decided what was mine should actually be theirs. So with guns in hand they proceeded to kidnap me,
[[oh, this was before the cute nickname 'Carjack' came about)..and steal my car simultaneously.
The ludicrous thing about it in the beginning was that I actually had to drive, because I failed to
successfully train them to drive a manual transmission [[The car being a Beetle).
Can you imagine, "No, you have to SLOWLY release the clutch while SLOWLY giving it gas, now...
let's try it again, no, you're doing fine". Well...these bright boys never could figure it out, hence,
I drove. We drove around Detroit to various locations, them trying to sell the car outright, to no
avail, me preaching the Gospel the whole time [[yes, I was a 'born again' Christian at the time)
Well, long story shortened, I got away, and saw them at the party store around the corner from where my fiancee lived, called the cops, pointed them out, they got arrested, and the cops let'em go.
They gave as a reason, because I couldn't remember any scars or street names where we traveled,
that I wasn't a 'credible' witness, so they bounced. The cop assigned to my case said the perpetrators lived only one block away and across the street. I guess they figured we thought
they ALL looked alike, and could just trot around unnoticed. Or maybe they figured they were just
having fun, and "What's the big deal?" "Shit shoulda been mine anyway" Who knows.
I wonder how many people had to be victimized, maybe murdered, before these two were
brought to justice eventually? Maybe never. CarJack....hmmm, O.K.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JohnnyFreddy

Back in 1982 I was living on the westside, but my fiancee lived in Woodbridge. Oft times I would dally into the wee hours of the early morning, and take my leave when we both saw fit.
On the occasion I speak about here, I had just walked out of her apt., when two Afro-American men
decided what was mine should actually be theirs. So with guns in hand they proceeded to kidnap me,
[[oh, this was before the cute nickname 'Carjack' came about)..and steal my car simultaneously.
The ludicrous thing about it in the beginning was that I actually had to drive, because I failed to
successfully train them to drive a manual transmission [[The car being a Beetle).
Can you imagine, "No, you have to SLOWLY release the clutch while SLOWLY giving it gas, now...
let's try it again, no, you're doing fine". Well...these bright boys never could figure it out, hence,
I drove. We drove around Detroit to various locations, them trying to sell the car outright, to no
avail, me preaching the Gospel the whole time [[yes, I was a 'born again' Christian at the time)
Well, long story shortened, I got away, and saw them at the party store around the corner from where my fiancee lived, called the cops, pointed them out, they got arrested, and the cops let'em go.
They gave as a reason, because I couldn't remember any scars or street names where we traveled,
that I wasn't a 'credible' witness, so they bounced. The cop assigned to my case said the perpetrators lived only one block away and across the street. I guess they figured we thought
they ALL looked alike, and could just trot around unnoticed. Or maybe they figured they were just
having fun, and "What's the big deal?" "Shit shoulda been mine anyway" Who knows.
I wonder how many people had to be victimized, maybe murdered, before these two were
brought to justice eventually? Maybe never. CarJack....hmmm, O.K.

---

detroit! 1962! I am surprise that the cops didnt beat the crap out of the two guys for cops were more brutal to blacks back then. Accoring to your story the two guys needed it. Let us get rid of this "It happens everywhere" attitude Still not an excuse for studpidity brought upon innocent hard working citizens by losers who probably are so stupid that they would carjack a person in front of a police statiot for they are too illiterate to understand the words on the sign which spells "Police Headquareters"

Time to get one of these installed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDrzMGdYWZc

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stasu1213

detroit! 1962! I am surprise that the cops didnt beat the crap out of the two guys for cops were more brutal to blacks back then. Accoring to your story the two guys needed it. Let us get rid of this "It happens everywhere" attitude Still not an excuse for studpidity brought upon innocent hard working citizens by losers who probably are so stupid that they would carjack a person in front of a police statiot for they are too illiterate to understand the words on the sign which spells "Police Headquareters"

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Somebody needs glasses. That was 1982...not 1962 !!!!
I'm sure in 1962 these sorts of things didn't even happen in Woodbridge.
Pretty upscale neighborhood back then...not bad now, well, except for those things
once in awhile, especially in the warmer months. Apparently thieves have to
save up for the cold months, so they can stay nice and toasty at their mamas house. "My child would NEVER do nothing like that!!"
Of course not...because you've been keeping him in all those nice cloths,
and giving him an allowance for all his dating...right????
People need to open their eyes, and stop enabling these kids today.
No work ethics, probably a result of the philosophy of "A better life than I had".
Well, hard work should be one of the inherited traits, not one of the shunned.
But again, I digress.
Again, 1982...not 1962...blindy.

What an ugly story the fine perps were probably part of the I cant read culture.
In 1982 a Beetle had to be virtually worthless. I mean if you had a duece and quarter Buick to sell you would have had something.
Air cooled 4 cylinder boxer ? Fuhgedaboutit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JohnnyFreddy

Back in 1982 I was living on the westside, but my fiancee lived in Woodbridge. Oft times I would dally into the wee hours of the early morning, and take my leave when we both saw fit.
On the occasion I speak about here, I had just walked out of her apt., when two Afro-American men
decided what was mine should actually be theirs. So with guns in hand they proceeded to kidnap me,
[[oh, this was before the cute nickname 'Carjack' came about)..and steal my car simultaneously.
The ludicrous thing about it in the beginning was that I actually had to drive, because I failed to
successfully train them to drive a manual transmission [[The car being a Beetle).
Can you imagine, "No, you have to SLOWLY release the clutch while SLOWLY giving it gas, now...
let's try it again, no, you're doing fine". Well...these bright boys never could figure it out, hence,
I drove. We drove around Detroit to various locations, them trying to sell the car outright, to no
avail, me preaching the Gospel the whole time [[yes, I was a 'born again' Christian at the time)
Well, long story shortened, I got away, and saw them at the party store around the corner from where my fiancee lived, called the cops, pointed them out, they got arrested, and the cops let'em go.
They gave as a reason, because I couldn't remember any scars or street names where we traveled,
that I wasn't a 'credible' witness, so they bounced. The cop assigned to my case said the perpetrators lived only one block away and across the street. I guess they figured we thought
they ALL looked alike, and could just trot around unnoticed. Or maybe they figured they were just
having fun, and "What's the big deal?" "Shit shoulda been mine anyway" Who knows.
I wonder how many people had to be victimized, maybe murdered, before these two were
brought to justice eventually? Maybe never. CarJack....hmmm, O.K.

---

When I was a little kid we were visiting my grandmother who lived on the east side when 8-10 guys jumped in front of my dads Beetle. Luckily we had the Beetle and not the olds because my dad was able to do a U turn and dirve up on the lawns of a few houses and get out of there. I can remember my grandmother being mad as hell and she ended up moving within a month.

My dad loved driving that little car. He had three of them in the 60's and early 70's.

My mom had a Beetle when I was little. It was yellow and covered in rust spots.

Is Avery & Ferry Park really considered Midtown? Sorry to hear about this.

This was not in Woodbridge. This is closer to New Center. I don't think this neighborhood has a brand™. That part of Avery does not even connect to the Avery south of I-94. It's on the edge of that weird industrial area that's full of DDOT & School Buses, along with a Junkyard and streets that are cut off by the Amtrak tracks. It's by where all the streets go haywire and Trumbull becomes Lincoln and where the Eagle used to be. Streetview: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6200+a...312.64,,0,15.1

Best option ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGPVD2Fdh0k

Precisely. I grew up in the area. This is not Woodbridge... not far but not Woodbridge. Actually that area is a VERY BAD area and has been hit for a few decades.

Ferry Pk has been rough for some time. I went to Murray-Wright HS in the late 70's, grew up nearby and Ferry was on the skids then. You just did not go over there after dark unless you were very careful. Avery, Trumbull and other streets by the I-94 service drive, 14th, 12th etc. - that band of streets on up thru Linwood on up thru W. Grand Blvd going up thru Grand River and Joy Road is rough.

My cousin was car jacked at the gas station at Grand River and West Grand Blvd. I lived on Commonwealth in WB back in the early 80's and got out fast. The quaint property was nice, but I almost got jacked, had property stolen and with a young family I relocated... closer to the New Center area.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laphoque

This was not in Woodbridge. This is closer to New Center. I don't think this neighborhood has a brand™. That part of Avery does not even connect to the Avery south of I-94. It's on the edge of that weird industrial area that's full of DDOT & School Buses, along with a Junkyard and streets that are cut off by the Amtrak tracks. It's by where all the streets go haywire and Trumbull becomes Lincoln and where the Eagle used to be. Streetview: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6200+a...312.64,,0,15.1

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mikefmich

Best option ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGPVD2Fdh0k

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I wish I had this in my 89 Probe GT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gUATkM3WSQ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by downtown_racine

What an ugly story the fine perps were probably part of the I cant read culture.
In 1982 a Beetle had to be virtually worthless. I mean if you had a duece and quarter Buick to sell you would have had something.
Air cooled 4 cylinder boxer ? Fuhgedaboutit.

---

Believe it or not, my Beetle was worth quite a lot, if not in dollars, then in a
quality vehicle. This Bug was just plain HOT!!! Canary Yellow [[my favorite color)
with a wide black racing stripe extending from front to rear. Hurst shifter, custom fatty
racing steering wheel, black corduroy upholstery, Mazda 'glass pack' dual exhaust
muffler system, with a gas powered heater exchange, custom oak wood luan interior
door panels and dash facade, brand new [[German made) carpet kit replacement,
and brushed stainless custom wheels w/ all weather steel belted radial firestones
w/raised white lettering.
I did mention in my original post [[I believe) that at that time, I lived in the suburbs,
and was visiting my Fiancee who lived in Woodbridge. I later [[after we married)
moved to Woodbridge myself, and have stayed in the Wayne State area ever
since. I love it here, and would leave Detroit if I couldn't live in the campus area.
Any way, at first seeing this story, I didn't know exactly where Avery/Ferry Park
was, but actually, the story told was more about the 'Car Jacking' than it was
about Woodbridge itself...though one could assume, I suppose, I was commenting about Woodbridge nearly exclusively, because of the statement made by myself regarding the state of safety in the area relating to yesteryear. That however
is my error, but not the point I was trying to convey...just my pseudo-harrowing
experience at the hands of my would-be murderers, if, by chance, they had so chosen to enact such a gruesome deed. But my status as a 'Born Again' Christian
at the time of the occurance, and my colorful life experiences lived by that time,
together.... allowed me to weather any psychological scaring, and treat the experience as just one more....experience.
Short story long...I loved that car, hence, it was worth a lot.