Police investigate shot fired at Melvindale motel Tuesday morning

Melvindale — Police are investigating an incident at a motel that prompted officers to close a road and urge the public to stay clear of the area Tuesday morning.

Officials said in a statement posted on Facebook that a Melvindale police officer at about 4:45 a.m. saw three males on bicycles ride up to the entrance of the Red Roof Inn & Suites on Dix near Oakwood Boulevard. He watched the men go into the motel with their bicycles.

The officer saw one of the three, who was wearing a mask, look around suspiciously as if he was looking for something or checking out the area, authorities said.

Police said the officer reported what he saw to other officers. He then walked into the motel and heard a single gunshot echo from somewhere in the building.

More officers entered the building and evacuated the motel's clerk, who had been hiding in a rear office.

After hearing no other gunshots or noises, they set up a perimeter to secure the area and called for assistance from nearby police agencies, officials said. They closed Dix between Oakwood to Rose.

Police also notified residents, a middle school and businesses in the area of the situation.

A police tactical team entered the motel and cleared all of the rooms in the building.

Investigators said it appears the three men the first officer saw earlier went to the second floor. The trio then fled down a stairway and ran through a door on the side of the building, they said. The three then fled the area.

Officers detained one person who was staying at the motel for questioning. They later arrested the individual because he was wanted on felony charges unrelated to the incident at the motel.

Officials said there were no injuries reported.

Once police determined the three men had fled and there was no danger to the public, they reopened the road, notified the school and allowed the motel's guests to return to their rooms.

Investigators are working to obtain security camera video to review, they said. In addition, police seized the three bicycles the three men left in the motel's lobby.