Dearborn police: Suspect in Hampton Inn shooting suffered from PTSD
Dearborn police are continuing to investigate Thursday's fatal shooting at Hampton Inn in the city's west-side downtown, and plan to pursue charges against the gunman who shot a hotel clerk to death over a billing dispute.
A city spokesman said the police department is considering homicide among the potential charges to present to the county's prosecutor's office; other charges are being explored and an arraignment is expected by Sunday. The suspect, 38, of Detroit, is being held at the Dearborn police station on Michigan Avenue.
On Thursday, local and federal law enforcement officials were on-site to negotiate with the gunman, who was barricaded in a room on the third floor of the Hampton Inn. The suspect ducked into a room shortly after the deadly confrontation, began shouting threats to responding officers, and remained holed up for seven hours. The shooting happened about 1 p.m. and the gunman surrendered to police by about 8:30 p.m., during which traffic was closed off on Michigan Avenue and residents were advised to avoid the downtown area.
The family of the suspect told Dearborn police that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has not been treated, according to the spokesman. He is a veteran, the city confirmed Friday afternoon but could not provide further information on which branch he served and for how many years. At the scene on Thursday, both Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and Police Chief Issa Shahin joined a chorus calling for increased mental health support nationwide.
More:Shooting suspect surrenders at Dearborn's Hampton Inn, 1 killed, police say
“We ask everybody to pray for our police officers (and) first responders,” Hammoud said to reporters Thursday. “Pray for the family of the victim, as well as pray for the family of the assailant," he urged.
"We know that there are broader issues at hand as it pertains to the mental health crisis that's ongoing not only in our region but in our state, in our country, as well as accessibility to firearms. And we're hoping that those in the right positions of power do act on this. It's about time that we had solutions.”
On Friday morning, traffic was allowed along the avenue and the downtown area seemed back to its usual hustle and bustle. In a phone call Friday morning, a receptionist said the hotel is open and will allow afternoon check-ins, however at 1 p.m., access to the hotel lobby was restricted and required permission. A request for comment by the Free Press was not answered.
Police have yet to identify the victim, 55, of Riverview, or release the name of the suspect as of Friday afternoon. Reached Friday morning, a Wayne County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson said the office has not received any request for charges from Dearborn police.
Contact Miriam Marini: mmarini@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Police: Suspect in Dearborn shooting suffered from PTSD
