Man, two children shot on Detroit's west side while lighting off fireworks

Detroit — A man and his two young children were shot late Sunday while lighting off fireworks in the street of a neighborhood on the city's west side, police said. 

Detroit Police Detective Detrick Mott said the three were out on Father's Day, "enjoying festivities" and firing off fireworks in the 19700 block of Plainview, just after 10 p.m., when a male walked up and began shooting in their direction, striking all three. He then fled on foot toward Seven Mile. 

Initial information from the police and people at the scene of the shooting said a man and two girls were shot, but a police update Monday morning said it had been a man, a girl and a boy wounded. Detroit police later confirmed it was two girls. The father, 37, was listed in critical condition. The girls, one 10 and one 9, were in stable and critical condition, police said Monday.

Mott said the victims were privately transported to the hospital.

"The issue is that we have two children shot, 9 and 10 years old, and we need the public's help for tips leading to whomever shot these kids, along with their dad," Mott told The Detroit News. 

By 1 a.m. Monday, Mott said authorities were concerned over one child's grave condition, adding "we are praying for her."

The violent incident follows a wave of shootings over the weekend in the city including five shootings Saturday with nine different victims.

Late Sunday, neighbors on Plainview told The News they were startled by the shooting. Some, who'd been sitting on the grass nearby, tended to the man, thinking he'd just fallen down and then realizing he was bleeding. Several police cars remained out at the scene into the early morning. 

Toni Henderson, a four-year resident of Plainview, lives next door to where the shooting took place.

"I heard a bunch of fireworks first and then I heard like five shots and I looked out the window and the cops were out here," she said. "That's basically all I saw."

Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit police at (313) 596-5848 or Crime Stoppers at (800) SPEAK-UP.