DETROIT (WXYZ) — Police are ramping up patrols as they crack down on illegal block parties in Detroit.
It’s part of a new strategy introduced by the police chief after a string of deadly shootings in the city.
Video: Illegal block parties across Detroit over July 4 weekend left 3 dead, 24 injured
I asked to see the effort up close, so we went on a ride-along with marked and unmarked units with the Detroit Police Department. As our team was with them, officers broke up a block party on Clements Street that they tracked from their real-time crime center.
“We are going to head over there and see and observe what’s going on,” Sgt. Daron Zhou told us during the ride-along.
Last weekend at one block party on Rossini Drive and Reno Street, 21 people were shot and two of the victims died.
“The problem we’re seeing is that when it escalates and moves from the home,” Zhou said.
Neighbors are still outraged over this level of gun violence including Monica Murry, whose granddaughter Keonne Tremble died after being shot at a block party on June 15 on Albion Street. Tremble was 18 years old and about to start college.
“She was so smart. She loved school, just graduated last year and went to prom. She was working. I had just bought her her first car,” Murry said.
She’s happy to see Detroit police doing more patrols in the area of block parties.
“It’s good that they’re doing more now, but if they had started doing more back then, maybe this could have been prevented,” Murry said.
Police are pledging not to back down as they make good on a promise to deliver an increased presence.
I asked Detroit police for their response to Murry and others feeling the pain of a lost loved one.
“Moving forward, we are going to do something to address these matters,” Zhou said.
Video: Event calls for action after July 4 violence in Detroit
This weekend, Murry will be gathering with the community for a rally on Gratiot Avenue and 7 Mile Road calling for the violence to stop.
“We have police coverage and are inviting all families that have been victimized,” she said.
Murry is also establishing a program to help other victims and their families.
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