FATAL SHOOTINGS-FAMILY

Police: Man kills girlfriend, 2 girls, self at Michigan home

Police say a man fatally shot his girlfriend and two of her daughters inside a western Michigan home before killing himself. Public Safety Chief Kimberly Koster told reporters that a relative of the victims who earlier spoke with the boyfriend and rushed to the home out of concern, found the bodies about 4 a.m. Tuesday in Wyoming, Michigan. Three other children — ages 9, 5, and 2 — were found unharmed inside the home. The two youngest children were shared by the couple. Names of the victims have not been released. Police said the gun used in the shootings has been found.

MISSING TEEN-LANDFILL

Landfill work begins in search for Detroit-area teenager

LENOX TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An extraordinary search is underway as authorities at a landfill try to find the remains of a missing Detroit-area teenager. The first phase could last two weeks. It involves removing 20 feet of material, building a road and constructing a deck to inspect the waste. Zion Foster, a 17-year-old from Eastpointe, was last seen on Jan. 4. Investigators believe Zion is dead and that her body was put in a Dumpster, whose contents were dumped at a landfill in Macomb County. Zion’s cousin is in prison for lying to police during the investigation. He is a suspect in her disappearance.

GUN VIOLENCE-MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

After Uvalde, holiday weekend sees shootings nationwide

CHICAGO (AP) — Even as the United States reeled over the massacre of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas, multiple mass shootings happened elsewhere over the Memorial Day weekend. Single-death shootings still accounted for most gun fatalities, however. Police chiefs in Chicago and other cities cancelled days off to boost the numbers of officers over the holiday, hoping a heightened presence would be a deterrent. Some cities said they would strictly enforce curfews. The strategies may have worked in specific cases, but statistics from several cities didn’t indicate violence was kept at or below previous years' levels. At least nine people were killed over the weekend in Chicago, up from three a year ago.

OBIT-LUCAS

William Lucas dies at 94; Black Republican ran for governor

DETROIT (AP) — William Lucas has died at age 94. Lucas, who was Black, was Wayne County’s first elected executive who switched political parties to become the Republican nominee for Michigan governor in 1986. Lucas died of natural causes Monday. He was Wayne County sheriff and county executive before becoming a Republican in 1986. Republicans believed Lucas could get crucial votes in heavily populated southeastern Michigan, but Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard won in a landslide. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says Lucas was a “fine public servant.” Lucas ended his public career as a Detroit-area judge.

MICHIGAN DROWNINGS

Girl among several Michigan drowning victims over holiday

MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A 6-year-old Detroit girl was one of several people believed to have drowned in Michigan lakes over the Memorial Day weekend. Authorities say the girl disappeared Monday afternoon while in the water at Martindale Beach at Kensington Metropark northwest of Detroit in Milford Township. Searchers found her in the water away from the beach. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. A Toledo, Ohio, man was pronounced dead Monday after divers found him underwater off Milan Beach in Monroe County. Police divers also located the body of a 39-year-old Sylvania, Ohio, man Monday afternoon in Devil’s Lake in southern Michigan’s Lenawee County. The man had been tubing with his daughter Sunday afternoon.

BENTON HARBOR SHOOTINGS

Man slain, 6 people wounded during shooting in Benton Harbor

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A 19-year-old man has been killed and six other people were wounded during a shooting at a club and liquor store in southwestern Michigan’s Benton Harbor. Benton Harbor police say public safety officers responding to reports of multiple gunshots saw a large number of people in the area about 2:30 a.m. Monday. Marlon Bowman was shot multiple times in his chest and died. The wounded were treated at an area hospital. The department says officers found multiple shell casings of various calibers, but none of the people at the scene of the shooting have come forward to give statements.

ELECTION 2022-MICHIGAN GOVERNOR

Courts have lawsuits from 3 Republicans barred from ballot

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Two more Republican candidates for governor are suing to get on the Aug. 2 primary ballot, just days before the Michigan lineup must be settled. James Craig filed a lawsuit Friday night in the Court of Claims while Michael Markey went to the Court of Appeals on Sunday. They were declared ineligible last week, the result of a tie vote by the Board of State Canvassers. State election officials say they didn’t meet the 15,000-signature threshold because of fraudulent signatures on petitions. Perry Johnson also didn’t make the ballot and filed a lawsuit Friday. The candidates want courts to order the board to put them on the ballot. They say the elections bureau should have inspected petitions line by line.

FOUR KILLED-MICHIGAN

Sheriff: Motive still unknown in killing of 3 kids, mother

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A sheriff says investigators still are trying to determine why a man killed his wife and their three children in western Michigan. The victims of the Friday shooting in Mecosta County were identified as 6-year-old Katelynn Gillard, 4-year-old Ronald, 3-year-old Joshua and 40-year-old Dawn Gillard. A 51-year-old man, who is described as the father and husband, shot himself and remains in critical condition. The shooting occurred in Austin Township, 50 miles north of Grand Rapids. Sheriff Brian Miller says first responders who have children “took it very hard” when they arrived at the scene.

AP-US-TEXAS-SCHOOL-SHOOTING-SCHOOL-JITTERS

After Texas shooting, schools around US boost security

U.S. schools have bolstered security in the aftermath of the horrific mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Some of the changes include making visitors ring a bell and temporarily banning large backpacks. At least one district is ending the school year early. Administrators are especially jittery as more details about the shooting on Tuesday come out. Authorities say it took officers more than 45 minutes to confront the 18-year-old gunman who killed 21 at Robb Elementary School. The larger police presence at schools and a rash of copycat threats have only added to anxiety levels for students and educators.

SHOTS FIRED-DETROIT POLICE

Man accused of shooting at Detroit police officers arraigned

DETROIT (AP) — An 18-year-old man has been charged with assault with intent to murder after shots were fired at two Detroit police officers who were attempting to stop the vehicle he allegedly was riding in. The Wayne County prosecutor's office says Deontay Hestle Jr. also faces weapons and fleeing and eluding charges. The prosecutor’s office said police tried to make a traffic stop about 4 a.m. Saturday on the city’s westside after officers saw a man sitting on the door sill as the vehicle passed them. Shots were fired by the man as the vehicle sped away. Hestle and the accused driver were arrested Tuesday and arraigned Friday.

News from © The Associated Press, 2022