DETROIT (WXYZ) — Loved ones shed tears during a candlelight vigil on Detroit's west side Thursday night for a man shot and killed this week.
Detroit police say Tommy "Mike" Ireland, 37, was shot and killed Monday evening. The shooting happened on the city’s east side on Kercheval Avenue near Belvidere Street.
“I pray, God that you will touch every broken heart. I pray, God that you will wipe away every tear and I ask right now in the name of Jesus that you will give your people strength," minister Mikiah Keener prayed.
Family is calling the crime senseless.
"It’s chaos out here. It’s chaos. Nobody should go through burying anybody, especially off of senseless crime — senseless," Richard Castro, Ireland's cousin, told 7 News Detroit. "It’s senseless man. When I say Tommy was a good man, he was a good man, bro. He wasn’t one of them. He was one of the other ones."
Investigators say the suspect, 34-year-old man Craig Michael Bergeron, is from Saline and that he ended up assaulting someone else in St. Clair shores after killing Ireland. He was caught on Tuesday.
“We don’t know who he is at all. Never seen him before,” Ashley Ireland, the victim’s sister said.
She told 7 News Detroit that her family is still waiting to speak with homicide detectives in order to get answers to so many unanswered questions. They want to know what connection, if any, did the suspect have to her brother and why he'd want him dead.
“He loved everybody. He was a gentle giant,” Castro said. “Tommy had a smile. He had a heart. He gave. He looked out, ya know, he got nieces and nephews. He’s silly. He gone make ‘em laugh."
Ashley Ireland said her brother loved his nieces and nephews as if they were his own.
7 News Detroit reached out to Detroit police Thursday about the case. We were told more information can be provided after the suspect is arraigned and charged.
“Hopefully, justice takes heed and takes care of the situation fast and swiftly,” Castro said.
Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call Detroit police or you can call Crimestoppers and remain anonymous at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
