DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police are asking for help with finding suspects connected to an apartment fire earlier this month that’s being investigated as arson.
Eleven people were hospitalized after the fire on April 7 on La Salle Boulevard near W. Davison Street. The fire happened at around 3:45 a.m.
Police say the victims sustained injuries that are not life threatening.
On Tuesday, police provided an update in the investigation and said four suspects pulled up near the building in a light-colored SUV. Three of them got out — one stood as lookout as two ran up to the apartment building to start the fire.
The three then got back into the vehicle with the driver and left the scene.
About three dozen people were inside the building when the fire started. People told 7 Action News that some people were trapped. Eleven residents had to be rushed to area hospitals for smoke inhalation and other injuries.
The fire happened a little more than a day after a young man was murdered and some residents believe the blaze was intentionally set in connection to that.
"Boy got killed the day before and all of a sudden, the next day, the building is on fire," a sister of one of the victims said.
Detroit police said the shooter was arguing with a woman and opened fire, striking the young man who had nothing to do with their domestic dispute. The search continues for the shooter who took the young man's life.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Detroit Police Department’s arson unit at 313-596-2940 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
