Inside a day of violent crime in Detroit -- carjacking, shooting, officer’s murder, burning home

Officer Loren Courts killed by gunman, authorities say

DETROIT – The murder of a police officer wasn’t the only example of violent crime Wednesday in Detroit. Officials said the incidents started early in the morning and lasted into the night.

The Violent Crimes Task Force got its first report out of Detroit at 12:50 a.m. Wednesday (July 6), when there was an armed carjacking in the 9900 block of Pinehurst Street.

A man told police that he had gone to the gas station and someone followed him home and approached him with an AR-15-style rifle. The man was told to drop his belongings, and the thieves grabbed his stuff, got in his car, and drove away, according to authorities.

At 10:30 a.m., in the 11200 block of West Outer Drive, a 47-year-old man was found in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. They don’t have any information about who might have fired the shot.

Then, around 7:30 p.m., police received the call from Joy Road and Marlowe Street about someone firing shots. That’s when Officer Loren Courts responded and was fatally shot in the neck, officials said.

The violence continued at 8:49 p.m., when there was a house fire call in the 3800 block of St. Clair Street, according to police. A man in his 30s was found dead inside the home with a gunshot wound, authorities said.

Police said within one 24-hour period, Detroit saw a carjacking, a shooting, the murder of an officer, and the death of someone inside a burning home.

You can watch Karen Drew’s full story in the video above.


About the Authors:

Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.