Detroit police responded to several large gatherings across the city over the three-day Memorial Day weekend, including a Monday night swarm of ATVs and dirt bikes that disrupted traffic in downtown Detroit. Officers also dealt with packed parks, curfew violations and, in one case, a 16-year-old struck by gunfire near a west-side park.
The weekend ended with a city that was still trying to catch its breath. Police said they issued 12 parental responsibility tickets and 10 curfew violations over the three days, while also arresting two adults and citing two teens for curfew violations at Peterson Park. At downtown Pontiac, Oakland County deputies also saturated the area Friday night after one gathering was advertised online, a sign that the problem was not confined to Detroit.
Police spokesman Franklin Hayes said officers responded to multiple incidents tied to large gatherings and resolved them without major issues. But the details told a harder story. At 6:42 p.m. Monday, police reported Chandler Park on the east side was so crowded that an officer said it was at capacity. By 6:52 p.m., officers had shut down Rouge Park on the city’s northwest side. At 6:57 p.m., dispatchers were already reporting teens trying to return to Chandler Park.
By 7:38 p.m., a dispatcher said a bunch of juveniles were running into a gas station at 7 Mile and Greenfield. One minute later, another dispatcher reported juveniles doing a smash-and-grab at the Family Dollar on Greenfield near 7 Mile Road. At 7:42 p.m., police said 150 dirt bikes and mopeds carrying teens were doing donuts at 7 Mile and Ryan. The most visible downtown scene came Monday night, when a swarm of ATVs and dirt bikes clogged traffic and forced officers to manage the crowd instead of chase riders through a dense downtown.
Detroit police said they did not chase the riders because of policy banning pursuits for traffic violations and the danger it could pose to bystanders. Hayes said the department was using a strategic plan that includes air support and technology to lawfully seize the vehicles and hold owners and operators accountable. Darious Morris called it a rough night and said police had to control traffic so nobody got hurt. He said youths on ATVs had taken over downtown streets and refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
Neighbors near Peterson Park said the Memorial Day gathering started peacefully before fights broke out and police moved in to break up the crowds. After that, many kids moved to nearby gas stations and a Family Dollar. Police said a 16-year-old was shot near a park on 14th Street between Euclid and Philadelphia during another teen takeover event, and the teen was in stable condition. No suspect was in custody.
The pattern has been building for weeks. In April, videos showed hundreds of teens filling Detroit streets, and last month a social media clip went viral showing a group of teens chasing and attacking a man in the city. On Friday night in Pontiac, deputies flooded downtown after a gathering was advertised online, and officers there ended up talking with some of the teens about making good decisions rather than making arrests.
That balance is now at the center of the response. Zaria Calvin said young people need a chance to have fun, but added that it was getting too dangerous. Tanisha Henderson said parents need to get a handle on their kids and called the scenes embarrassing to the community. Negus Vu argued that when kids are out in the streets, it is often a cry for help and a sign they need more to do. The question now is whether Detroit can keep the next crowd from turning into the same kind of night.
