Violence erupted at what was supposed to be a fun-filled family gathering, leaving several wounded including young children. On Sunday evening, a large crowd had gathered at a popular splash pad area in a park in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park. As families enjoyed the water features to cool off from the summer heat, gunfire suddenly rang out.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple shots fired, with some thinking they were fireworks at first. But it quickly became clear this was no celebration – an unknown assailant had opened fire on the crowd. When police and paramedics arrived on the scene, they found eight people had been struck by bullets. Two young children – an 8-year-old boy and a teenager – were among those injured. The condition of the 8-year-old boy was said to be critical.
Police are still searching for the shooter who fled the area on foot after the incident. Investigators have no information yet about what sparked the shooting or if there was a specific target. The large outdoor event with families and kids enjoying the splash pad made for chaotic scenes as the bullets started flying. This was supposed to be a fun community event but instead turned into terror as innocent victims were caught in the senseless violence.
