OXFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Tuesday night's shooting in Oxford is now being investigated as a homicide after one of the three victims sadly passed away. It happened on Christmas Eve around 630 p.m. on Ray Road between Lapeer and Oxford Road.
An eyewitness told me he heard 4 gunshots, and when he came out of his home to investigate, the man couldn't believe what he saw.
"The lady was bleeding from the face. As far as I know, the gentleman was shot in the midriff. And I don't know where the passenger in the back was shot," said William Brasile.
Video of the scene after three people shot in Oxford
Brasile shared with me the details about what happened Tuesday night.
"He was running from somebody and went off the road. And people were stopping to assist him. When he realized he couldn't get out of the ditch. He came out and pointed a gun at a lady in the van. Tried to steal her van. When she ran up, he ran up and shot the other three victims in the car. I'm assuming they wouldn't give up their vehicle. And he jumped into someone else's vehicle and took off," said Brasile.
7 News Detroit crew captured the aftermath as the sheriff's deputies investigated the crime scene in the area involving people in the three vehicles.
"A van was a little more to the side, and the pickup truck was more to the center of the road, kind of at an angle. And there were other vehicles a little further down," said Brasile.
Brasile says the gunshot victims were in the pickup truck.
"Just the fact that something like this happened on Christmas Eve, it must have blown your mind," asked Javed.
"It was devastating. And the bad part is if somebody has an issue, when they pull off the road, or they go off the road, 90% of the people are going to stop to assist them. So, what does this tell you know? You are afraid to stop and help somebody because somebody is going to come out and shoot you," said Brasile.
The other two victims "should be on the road to physical healing," the sheriff's office said in their update on Wednesday.
Neighbors say they heard at least four gunshots.
“Well we were just sitting inside watching a holiday program and we heard four very quick gunshots. I mean, it’s pretty distinct when you hear gunshots," Tom Binkowski, who lives in the area, said. “It’s Christmas Eve. What are people thinking?”
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says they have the suspect in custody and recovered a gun. Investigators on Wednesday said they believe the shooting was random. The suspect allegedly was passing through the area and went "on a violent spree at multiple locations."
The suspect is a convicted felon who has multiple prior weapons offenses. He was taken to jail as formal charges are pending.
Binkowski says his wife is shaken up after the Tuesday shooting. The incident took place just steps from Oxford High School where the family lives.
"Anyone who goes through something like that, I think it's always going to be there," Binkowski said. "She's been on the phone with teachers at the school and has been talking about it, seems to help them through it."
Binkowski and other neighbors believe the victims may have been helping the shooter, who was off the road in a vehicle, when the shots rang out.
Full interview with neighbor after triple shooting in Oxford
