Detroit Cinco de Mayo Parade Cut Short Due to Deadly Shooting
Detroit's annual Cinco de Mayo parade came to an abrupt halt Sunday when a 19-year-old man was fatally shot.
According to the Associated Press, the shooting occurred just after 1 p.m. in front of Brown's Bun Bakery. Thousands of people who were attending the event heard the shot.
Adam Madera, a Detroit police officer, said the victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. A 24-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
"We're not certain of the circumstances," Madera said. "There apparently was an argument between the victim and the suspect's family, which escalated to the shooting."
Madera said that it appeared like the 24-year-old was defending a member of his family in an argument when a single bullet was fired from a gun. Police recovered the weapon.
"You didn't hear any arguing," said Martha Morales, who lives close to the parade route. "Suddenly, you hear a bang, and people are running."
After the shooting, the teenager collapsed in the street. An ambulance could not get onto the crowded street, so the teen was put into a squad car and rushed to a local hospital.
At around 3 p.m., police gathered suspects into a liquor store across from the bakery, and one man was handcuffed and taken into custody. A water hose from a fire truck was then used to wipe away the blood on the street.
Detroit City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, who served as grand marshal of the parade, said she was near Clark Park when she was told about the shooting.
"These types of events are important to maintaining a strong sense of community," Castaneda-Lopez said. "It's disheartening ... that it was canceled because of a shooting. This is the first time I can remember in my whole life that violence has happened during the parade. It's an event so many people look forward to."
The parade, which was celebrating its 50th year, generally attracts between 30,000 and 40,000 people, in addition to businesses and street vendors who gather along the 3.1 mile route on Vernor Street.
Madera said that police presence was heightened at the event due to an increase in traffic.
But it's not the first time the holiday was plagued by violence. Jacob Parcha, 16, was shot to death near Clark Park on the day of the parade in 2009. However, police said the shooting was unrelated to the Cinco de Mayo event.
Morales said the violence in the area worsens with each passing year.
"I've lived here for 25 years," she said. "But it's getting too bad. Each year, it gets worse and worse."