What initially was reported as a domestic fight escalated into a domestic shooting after gunshots were heard, while a 2-year-old and 15-year-old were in the home.
A mother who was armed with a gun and knife and barricaded herself in her Michigan home with her children and boyfriend was disarmed by her 15-year-old son, who police have called a hero for his act of bravery.
Detroit police said officers responded to a call of domestic violence that escalated into a shooting about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Chief James White told reporters. The woman allegedly behind the shooting barricaded herself inside with her 15-year-old son and her 2-year-old daughter, and her boyfriend, who was injured, locked himself inside a bathroom for his own protection, White said.
The teen boy managed to get to the second story of the house and began communicating with officers, White said. The teen tossed one gun out of the house, but authorities later determined there were more weapons—five guns and several knives—inside the home.
Ultimately police were able to get the man, who had not been shot but was stabbed multiple times in the arms and wrist, out of the home and were also able to extricate the two children, White said. The mother, who has a history of bipolar disorder, was not taking her medication when the incident occurred, threatened suicide but ultimately surrendered to police peacefully, officials said. The woman was sent to a facility where her mental health will be treated, police said.
The woman's son played an important role in making sure no one else was harmed, according to Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes.
"Keeping the officers that were in proximity informed of what’s going on inside the location and then making the courageous, the absolute brave decision to take that firearm, throw it out the window, separate it from his mother, so she could not harm anyone in the home including herself," Hayes said.
