DETROIT — A Detroit police officer shot 18-year-old Alonzo Lee-Perkins on June 22, 2026, near Farmer and Bates streets around 6:30 p.m. during a foot chase stemming from an attempted stop for suspected gun possession.

Lee-Perkins was hospitalized in serious condition for nearly a week. His grandmother, Renee Wilson, stated he was wounded in the back, buttocks, and the back of the shoulder. She said police kept him handcuffed to a hospital bed for five days and that he was not charged with a crime during that period. Wilson said the family was not permitted to visit until June 26, 2026, at which point they demanded he be uncuffed.

Lee-Perkins was charged on June 28, 2026, with carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm, and resisting and obstructing police. He was arraigned on June 29, 2026, and issued a $10,000 bond. A spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office confirmed the charges and bond but declined to provide additional information.

Detroit police department spokeswoman Jasmin Barmore stated the officer fired shots fearing for his safety and the safety of the public. Barmore said a gun was recovered after the shooting and that officers were drawn to Lee-Perkins after he walked away from a group where someone else was being arrested for alleged gun possession. She said his hands were tucked in a way that gave officers reason to believe he was armed. The Detroit Police Department issued a statement on June 23, 2026, reporting 180 juvenile detainments for curfew violations and 12 arrests for unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon at the event.

Wilson stated her grandson never brandished a weapon and that a gun was found only after he was shot and fell to the ground. "You gunned down my baby for no reason," she said. She added that Lee-Perkins carried a gun to the fireworks because he had previously been shot in the neck and feared for his safety. "You're talking about gun violence? How you gonna control gun violence in the street when your cops is the ones doing the shooting?" Wilson said.

BYP100 Detroit, a chapter of the national Black Youth Project 100, issued a news release on June 25, 2026, stating, "This is not justice. This is not accountability. This is a cover-up." Detroit police referred a request for comment to Michigan State Police, which typically leads investigations into Detroit police officer shootings as part of the Detroit Homicide Task Force.

The request for body-worn camera footage comes after the Detroit City Council passed an ordinance last year requiring video release within 30 days when an officer shoots someone, though it allows for exceptions if a union contract prevents release. A Free Press investigation last year found that 20% of Detroit police department shootings over the prior decade stemmed from nonviolent stops, often involving suspected gun possession and escalating with foot chases.