Man dead after gunshots fired into crowd of Detroit protesters

DETROIT, Michigan — A man was gunned down in downtown Detroit after someone in an SUV fired gunshots into a crowd of hundreds of people protesting the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a Detroit police spokeswoman said early Saturday.

The shooting occurred about 11:30 p.m. Friday near Detroit’s Greektown entertainment district as officers were confronted with dozens of protesters, said Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood.

She emphasized that the shooting did not involve police.

The shooting victim was a 19-year-old man who was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital. The gunman pulled up in a grey Dodge Durango SUV and fired shots into the crowd, she said.

No further details about the victim or the person who fired the shot or shots were immediately available, Kirkwood said.

Earlier in the evening a Detroit police commander was struck with a rock and hospitalized.

Officers, many in riot gear, confronted the protesters and formed lines across streets.

Dozens of arrests were made and police said many were not Detroit residents, ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV reported.

By midnight, the crowd had thinned considerably as police shot canisters of gas toward the protesters.

The demonstration began earlier in the day and was peaceful as protesters marched by Detroit Police Headquarters. As evening wore on, some in the crowd became belligerent.

“We know that the individuals from outside the city of Detroit who converged at the protest location don’t represent this city,” Police Chief James Craig told reporters earlier in the evening.

The number of arrests and injuries were not immediately available. It also was not clear if any property was damaged.