On August 28, 2022, a 19-year-old man allegedly opened fire in Detroit, Michigan, United States, randomly killing three people on the city's streets over a span of two hours and fifteen minutes. A fourth person and a dog were injured.[1] Each person was shot in separate locations, and had no known connection to the shooter nor any known gang affiliation.[citation needed] The suspected shooter was apprehended at his house in Detroit about 14 hours later, and was formally charged two days later.
Events
At 4:45 a.m., the suspect shot a 28-year-old man named Chayne Lee without provocation, walked away and then returned to fire more shots.[1] This victim's body was found in the doorway of a church.[2] He had been shot multiple times, including after he had fallen down.[3]
About 30 minutes later, police responded to a 911 call three blocks away. While officers were investigating this shooting, they heard gunshots that led them to the 19700 block of Livernois Avenue. They found a 44-year-old woman had been shot and killed.[4] According to Wayne County Major Crimes Commander Michael McGinnis, the shooter initially left, but then he returned and shot her again. A 16-year-old girl was then shot and killed around 5:30 a.m.,[3][5] The fourth shooting occurred at 7:10 a.m. The 80-year-old victim and his dog both survived.[5][6][7]
Accused
The 19-year-old male suspect, Dontae Smith, was arrested at his house in Detroit.[4][8] He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of assault with intent to murder, one count of third-degree animal cruelty, and five counts of felony firearm on August 31.[2] Smith's family said he was hallucinating before the shooting, thought that his family members wanted to kill him, and believed the world was ending. A clinical psychologist believes Smith is suffering from psychosis, or another mental illness that causes delusions. Smith's bond is set at $1,000,000.[9]
