DETROIT (WXYZ) — It's been nearly two months since the mass shooting at a July 4 weekend block party in Detroit that left two people dead and 19 people injured.
In July, I spoke with the family of Jordan Thornhill, one of the victims in the shooting. Since them, more families of victims have reached out.
They told me they are frustrated with the Detroit Police Department, saying there hasn't been communication. They say it feels like there's a disconnected between the families and DPD.
“Are you aware that the families of the block party shootings dating back from May, they aren’t getting any communication from DPD? Are you aware of that?” I asked Detroit Police Chief James White.
“Well, that would be shocking to me, for me,” White answered.
“I haven’t gotten a phone call. No one reached out and said, 'Hey Phillip how you doing today?' We haven’t gotten anything,“ says Phillip Arnold Sr., the father of one of the victims.
His son, Phillip Jr. was shot and killed on July 7 at an unsanctioned block party on the city’s east side. Collectively, 21 people were shot. Phillip Jr. was one of two victims who died from their injuries.
Arnold Sr. said he hasn't spoken with anyone from DPD in at least five weeks.
“I had to reach out personally to even get any information on anything, any detective on the case,” he said.
The families of Imani Peterson and Keonne Tremble also both said they haven't been contacted by anyone at DPD.
“I feel like they not doing enough. They not doing they job. They not reaching (out) unless you call them. You have to call them,” Peterson’s mother, Ceria Joyce said. ”And I just feel like it’s not fair, just feel like no one’s doing nothing. And it hurts to know your daughter out here that got killed and you don’t know what’s going on.”
Peterson was shot in June at another unsanctioned block party. She died from her injuries 15 days later.
I also spoke with the grandmother of Tremble, who said her granddaughter was also killed in June at another unsanctioned block party on the city’s east side. She said the last time she heard from DPD was in June.
“I have to contact them. They don’t contact me,” Monica Murray said.
So far, no arrests have been made.
"When I tell you I heard so many stories about what happened that night…but none of it has reached the police. That’s just people telling other people,” Murray says.
“It’s really hurting me, because like I said, I’m doing all the reaching out and I’m telling her I have stuff from the streets. Like…let me tell y’all what I’m hearing,” says Joyce.
“It just eats me up inside thinking that I will probably never know who or why my son was murdered," says Arnold.
“Here is what I am willing to do. If you can provide me all of who these folks are. Give me their names and phone numbers. I will bring them to a table in my office. I will talk to them,” says Chief White.
