Convenience store shooting: Shots fired into car, police searching for victims and suspects
An altercation that resulted in gunfire at an Ypsilanti Township convenience store parking lot on Saturday afternoon left police searching for the suspects - and the victims.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help in identifying both parties in the incident, according to an alert broadcast on Sunday morning.
According to the report:
"Shortly before 12:55 a vehicle pulls into the In & Out parking lot. This vehicle is described as a light colored 2 door car with black door handles - compact car, possibly foreign in model. A few moments later a second vehicle described as a charcoal colored Chevy HHR also pulls in the parking lot. A suspect from the first vehicle begins shooting into the Chevy HHR. Both vehicles flee the scene. The shooters vehicle is last seen heading north on Harris Rd. while the victims vehicle (the Chevy HHR) is found a short time later on Jeffrey St. in the neighborhood near the In & Out party store. The victims were not with the vehicle when it was found."
The store is located at 1100 Share Avenue at the corner of North Harris Road near the I-94 Service Drive. Jeffrey Street is about one mile west, behind the Gault Village shopping center.
Police said this morning that the HHR was found with several bullet holes in it.
"At this time we have no information that anyone was actually struck by a bullet," spokesman Derrick Jackson said by email.
The sheriff's office released a video of a previous shooting in the parking lot in early 2011 when they were searching for suspects in that incident. It's unclear whether a surveillance video will help investigators with this incident.
No victims were found after the incident in January, either, according to reports.
The sheriff's department also recently investigated a double shooting in the Village Grove apartments, located across North Harris from this store. An arrest was made in that case.
Anyone with information can contact the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office at 911 or via the confidential tip-line (734-973-7711) or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-UP.
Comments
Gordon
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.
It seems reasonable to shut the business down; but is it? The store can't refuse to sell to people except under a few conditions all relatively obvious. Drunk, under age, etc. The city / township has shut down one store for the same reasons & what has that done? Moved the bad guys to another store. Less likely the township / city would shut down a CVS; but shutting down a small business owner is far easier. Rules having one person responsible for the actions of another only work unde legally binding circumstances parent / children etc. This is not the solution nor will it stop the activity. It is the job of the police WITH the help of the citizens.
julia
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 1:49 a.m.
This is another convenience store in Ypsilanti that needs to be forced to close its doors. As much as a local business supporter I am, I have seen way too many crimes at this In and Out. The neighborhood there used to be very reputable, My cousin actually lives on Share Avenue, and says its getting pretty shifty. Back in the 80's another cousin of ours was jumped, and robbed in that exact same convenience store, and barely survived. The crime levels in this area are NOT getting better, Shut this place down!
AfterDark
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:07 a.m.
Was the store open at the time of the incident? I don't know what time it closes at night but it isn't open 24 hours. It seems just the empty parking lot attracts crime, not the store itself.
Richard
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 6:55 a.m.
I wonder if its legal for the township to adopt an ordinance to close private businesses that attract violent crime. It would be awesome if this would happen.
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 12:44 a.m.
Those fellows need firearms training. They should rent another Steven Seagal DVD.
RJA
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 6 p.m.
I am always leary about pulling into a (convenience store) especially the one on Textile Rd. that I often pass. There seems to be a lot of people just hanging out in the parking lot. Time of day or night doesn't matter. I try to do supermarkets and CVS where I feel more safe in the day light hours. I hope the WCSD gets the help they need in this case. Somebody knows something!
FredMax
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 5:57 p.m.
Note to self: avoid convenience stores in bad neighborhoods.
Richard
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 6:53 a.m.
The neighborhood is lovely west of Harris. There are many long time families and seniors in there.
Mr. Ed
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
No victim no crime. Lets save our tax dollars and move on.
Ricebrnr
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 5:53 p.m.
in general I agree but technically the victims here are the People and the State. They have a stake in investigating and bringing to justice those that break the laws.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.
While I agree with your opinion of no victim no crime, there is a point that you may be missing. The probability of the gun used being legal is very low if none. More then likely we are going to read another story related to this due to someone seeking revenge. I would not want to be an innocent bystander where ever this takes place. I do believe the police are interested in nothing at this point except where the gun is and who fired it. There were laws broken and it is urgent that the gun used and the trigger puller is found.
Basic Bob
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
I understand the HHR driving away while under fire - a safe move. But to abandon the vehicle a few blocks away without calling for help, that's a sign the occupants did not want to talk to the cops very badly.