Quote Originally Posted by Gianni View Post
What Elouise, Django and English said^

I'm not going to write a 3 page angst ridden post about why the media are mean to Detroit. But based on the media reports and many of the above comments one would think that this was just another day in thug town, two neighbors shooting it up after a rowdy paartay.

This is what happens when you combine sloppy reporting + readers with stereotypes about Detroit who jump to easy conclusions. In this case, at least, the media were not "mean," just sloppy, lazy, in too much of a hurry or all of the above.

I was there. All day. What really happenned can't be explained rationally except as a result of a severe psychotic or schizophrenic breakdown. So when you say "that's crazy," it really was. That is the only way it makes sense. These were no thugs. The victim was a well respected local film and video producer who loved our neighborhood and had lived there most of his life. The shooter was his next door neighbor, a 27 year old who had recently finished his masters degree and was living with his father. There is a history of mental illness in the family.

What happened based on many reports:

There was no party, except perhaps a Thanksgiving Day family dinner three days earlier. It was Sunday morning. Many neighbors were on their way to or from church. At about 10:15 am the shooter knocked on Kevin's front door and was invited in. He appeared tense and angry. He was twitching. He was complaining "what's up with the noise?" There was no noise. He had a gun. Kevin and his wife tried to reason with him and talk him down. He did not respond except to say "it's too late for that." When it was obvious the situation was not improving, Kevin said to his wife "run" and they both ran outside. The shooter followed, and shot and killed Kevin. Kevin's wife ran the other way and was rescued by another neighbor. The shooter then went back inside his unit next door.

The police and EMS showed up right away. Officers were posted around the building and tried to keep people away. It did take a long time for the SWAT team to show up, not sure why. But eventually there were police everywhere, area cordoned off with yellow tape and no one allowed past the perimiter, flak jackets, helmets, gas masks, shields, guys on rooftops with machine guns, the tank, the mobile police station, "come out with your hands up," gas grenades shot into the building, you name it. This went on for several hours. Eventually they went in and found the shooter and his father both dead.

I know that we have more crime in Detroit than most places. But this truly could have happened anywhere.

Our proud, beautiful and almost always peaceful neighborhood is grieving.

To those want to think this is just another gangsta rap verse about Detroit -- get a life. Or at least keep your moronic comments to yourself.

Thank you for posting this. I live at 1300 and the story you explained is exactly what I had heard. I haven't seen any update in the papers. If anyone has please let me know the date in was listed. Lafayette Park is a very safe and great area to live in.