DETROIT — A man died and a 9-year-old boy was critically wounded in a shooting in west Detroit on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Detroit police officers responded to the incident after being alerted by a gunshot detection system.

Officers were called to the 14600 block of Burgess near West Outer Drive and Lyndon Street at approximately 9:40 p.m. Deputy Police Chief Tiffany Stewart stated that officers found a male on the ground with at least one gunshot wound. Several houses away, they located a male child with multiple gunshot wounds to the stomach and leg.

Medics transported the boy to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Early reports from Deputy Police Chief Stewart indicated investigators initially believed the boy was about 7 years old, but police officials confirmed on Thursday, June 26, that the boy is 9 years old and is recovering. Stewart noted that the boy was able to tell officers his name at the scene.

Police officials also stated on Thursday that the boy and the deceased victim are related. Detectives found multiple spent high-caliber rifle rounds at the scene. Police found the child's family later on Wednesday.

Deputy Police Chief Stewart described the shooting scene as being in a block with boarded-up houses, adding, "There's nothing over here. There's not a house over here that is occupied." Police do not know if the man and the boy were in a vehicle or on foot at the time of the shooting. Stewart said, "At this point in time, we don't have a lot of information regarding what happened at this scene."

Why It Matters

The incident involved a fatal shooting and critical injury to a child in a residential area, prompting an investigation by the Detroit Police Department. The use of high-caliber rifle rounds indicates the nature of the violence. The connection between the two victims suggests a potential familial impact.