Police said one bullet struck both victims after a dispute involving young children escalated at an east-side apartment.
DETROIT, MI — A 29-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter were shot Monday evening on Detroit’s east side after police said the father of another child confronted the mother over a fight involving children earlier in the day. Both victims were reported in stable condition and were expected to survive.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said officers were called shortly after 7 p.m. Oct. 12 for a report of shots fired. Investigators believe the confrontation grew out of a dispute involving children ages 7 and 8. Police said the man went to the woman’s apartment and began arguing with her before the encounter turned violent.
According to Bettison, the woman shut the apartment door during the confrontation, but the man allegedly forced his way inside. Police said he then pulled out a gun and fired one shot. The bullet struck the woman in the arm before continuing and striking her daughter in the shoulder. Both were taken for medical treatment.
Police were searching Monday night for the man, whose name, age and photograph had not been publicly released during the initial briefing. Authorities said he fled in a white GMC Terrain, possibly equipped with a blackout package. Investigators were reviewing camera footage and interviewing witnesses as they worked to locate him.
Bettison described the shooting as senseless and criticized the escalation of a disagreement involving children. “Adults not being able to self-regulate — this is senseless,” Bettison said during the police update. “It doesn’t even make sense. I’m just really disgusted by it.” Police said the suspect was known in the area and urged him to surrender.
Teferi Brent, a senior official in Mayor Mary Sheffield’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety, also called on the man to turn himself in. Brent said adults should resolve disputes involving children through communication and de-escalation rather than violence. He described the shooting as preventable and said officials were focused on the recovery of the mother and child while police continued their search.
Mayor Mary Sheffield condemned the shooting in a statement released after the incident, describing the violence against the mother and her daughter as unacceptable. City officials said they were supporting the victims and their family as investigators continued working to identify and locate the person responsible.
Early reports differed on the specific street where the shooting occurred, but authorities and local reports consistently placed the incident at an apartment complex on Detroit’s east side. Police had not announced an arrest or released additional identifying information about the suspect as of late Monday night.
The investigation remained active Monday. Detectives continued gathering surveillance footage and witness accounts, while police said the mother and her daughter remained in stable condition. No criminal charges had been announced.
Author note: Last updated October 12, 2026.