5-year-old shot in car, leading Detroit pastor to warn against ‘desensitization’

FOX 2 (WJBK) – The community is outraged after seeing a 5-year-old girl and a man were shot on Tuesday in the western part of the city.

“This bullet hit a small child. She could have ended her life, leaving her parents mourning the coffin and asking: «Why? God, why?». All because you had an argument with someone and you couldn’t resolve the dispute peacefully,” said Pastor Maurice Hardwick of the Live in Peace Movement.

Detroit police heard shots fired Tuesday around 5:45 p.m. ShotSpotter’s technology led officers to Plainview near Westfield on the west side.

Initially, only bullet casings were found. It was later reported that a 5-year-old girl was shot in the leg in the car and was taken to hospital.

The man later went to the police station with a gunshot wound to his right arm.

Both victims are expected to survive, while the suspect is at large.

“This is becoming too common,” said Deputy Chief Jacqueline Pritchett of the Detroit Police Department. “I’m really tired of showing up on scenes where kids are getting hurt in shootings.”

Less than a month ago, a 3-year-old accidentally shot himself with a gun. In August, an 8-year-old was shot while driving a car on the east side.

“And this is just one more incident that has contributed to our desensitization,” Hardwick added. “People watch the news and say, ‘Oh my God, another child has been shot.’ And somewhere out there the shooter is thinking, “Oh my God, I hope they don’t catch me.”

Pastor Hardwick works with young people as well as those incarcerated for crimes such as this. He advocates for a better solution: put down your gun and reach out.

“I know the person responsible had no intention of shooting that little girl,” Hardwick said. “That’s why I’m telling you that you can’t solve problems this way. Even if you think, “I didn’t mean to hurt that child,” solving problems with a gun is not the answer. You should call the interrupter like I did. I’m in the business of stopping violence, not policing. I’m here to help you avoid an encounter with law enforcement.

Detroit police are investigating. There will be updates. If you have information, contact Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. You can remain anonymous.