Officials: Infant in fatal drive-by was struck in back
The 6-month-old girl killed in a drive-by shooting Saturday died from a gunshot wound to her back, officials said.
Her death has been officially ruled a homicide, officials with the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday.
Police have arrested two men in the fatal shooting, which happened on Winthrop Street near Clarita in the Seven Mile and Greenfield area on the city’s west side, and are searching for a third.
Officials with the county Prosecutor’s Office said Monday the arraignment to formally charge the two suspects has not yet been scheduled.
Police said the infant was shot while a 24-year-old man was playing on the front lawn of a home in the 18000 block of Winthrop with three children — an 11-month-old, the 6-month-old and a 4-month-old.
A vehicle described as a late-model silver Saturn SUV, drove past the house before a man got out, stood across the street from the victims and began shooting, officials said. Only the 24-year-old and the 6-month-old were struck by gunfire. The baby died at a hospital from her injuries, while the man is expected to recover.
On Saturday, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said the car drove had driven past the house once before the gunman got out and fired at the victims. The first time, he said, there were three people in the car but only two when it passed by the final time.
Craig identified the two suspects as the driver and gunman in the shooting.
Hours later, police arrested two men. Police declined to elaborate on the details of when and where they were taken into custody.
Craig also said investigators believe the Winthrop shooting is connected to an Easter Sunday shooting on the west side.
Three-year-old Anaiya Denise Montgomery was killed in the 2 a.m. incident, in which three men went to a home on the 16800 block of Riverview near West McNichols and Telegraph and fired shots.
Three men were arraigned this week in connection with that shooting, which also injured a 39-year-old man and a 24-year-old man.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2058