DETROIT, MI – Five individuals were injured in a violent altercation outside a Detroit bar, which police report was instigated by a dispute over a parking spot. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Chicago Blu’z Bar & Grill, according to Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald of the Detroit Police Department.
Fitzgerald described the incident as “senseless” and “ridiculous,” expressing disbelief that a disagreement over a parking spot could escalate to such violence. The situation rapidly spiraled out of control when one man brandished a firearm and began shooting into the crowd.
The victims, whose ages span from 33 to 49, sustained injuries that, while serious, are not life-threatening. Only one of the five victims was involved in the initial disagreement, with the remaining four being innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.
The suspect, a male, managed to evade law enforcement and was still on the loose as of Friday evening. Witnesses report that he fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.
Fitzgerald expressed concern over the fact that the bar was still operational at 2:45 a.m., a time when it should have been closed. The police are currently investigating this irregularity.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.