Police said an altercation preceded the gunfire at a west-side location that authorities had investigated before Sunday’s deadly shooting.
DETROIT, MI — Three men were killed and four other people were wounded early Sunday in a shooting at an after-hours location on Detroit’s west side, where police said an altercation broke out before gunfire erupted.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said police were alerted to the shooting at about 7:21 a.m. Sept. 27 in the area of Eaton Avenue and Prest Street. Officers reached the scene within about four minutes and found three men with fatal gunshot wounds. Four other people, two men and two women, were taken to hospitals in private vehicles with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The three men who died had not been publicly identified as of Sunday afternoon. Bettison said they appeared to be about 30 years old or older. The four surviving victims were described as men and women in their 20s and 30s. Authorities had not released more detailed information about their conditions or possible relationships among the seven people linked to the shooting.
Investigators believe an altercation occurred before shots were fired, but police had not released details about what started the dispute or who fired the shots. Bettison said investigators had developed leads and were working to identify the person or people responsible. No arrest had been announced in the information released Sunday morning.
Bettison said police did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the surrounding neighborhood. Michigan State Police also responded to assist Detroit officers as investigators processed the scene and gathered information about what happened.
The shooting occurred at what Bettison described as an after-hours location. Police were already familiar with the address before Sunday’s violence. Bettison said Detroit police had received seven calls for service there since the beginning of 2026 and that he previously had an investigation into the address. He did not disclose details about that investigation.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield joined Bettison and other community leaders near the scene Sunday. Sheffield called the shooting heartbreaking and said the city would continue efforts to address illegal after-hours operations at homes and businesses. She also said the city’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety would provide support for families and residents affected by the violence.
The shooting occurred in an area covered by Detroit’s Community Violence Intervention efforts. Community leaders joined city officials at the scene as police continued their investigation. Officials emphasized that the circumstances surrounding activity at the location did not justify the deadly violence.
Police had not released the victims’ names or announced a suspected motive beyond the reported altercation as of Sunday afternoon. Detectives continued working to identify whoever was responsible and determine the sequence of events that led to the shooting.
Author note: Last updated September 27, 2026.