The Wayne County prosecutor has announced the arrest of two teenage suspects in connection with a drive-by shooting at a playground in Michigan that killed an unarmed 18-year-old and a four-year-old.
Brandon Ware, 18, and William Wheeler, 19, have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of assault with intent to murder, two counts of discharge from a vehicle causing death, one count of discharge from a vehicle causing serious injury, and five counts of felony firearm charges following the fatal shootings of Samir Grubbs, 4, and Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey, 18.
A third, unnamed 17-year-old was also injured in the June 27 shooting.
“In this day and age of social media and electronics, where fewer children play outside, it is refreshing to see children wanting to go outside and enjoy one of their local parks. “A precious four-year-old has died and another has been injured as a result of the alleged criminal actions of the now charged defendants in this case,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement, according to Fox2.
“This is truly an American tragedy, and hopefully it is not one that will have a chilling effect on children simply wanting to play outdoors,” Worthy told CNN.
Detroit police believe the alleged shooting occurred following an earlier altercation on a bus in which a male removed Ware’s ski mask from his head.
Ware then got off the bus and rode in a truck driven by Wheeler to Skinner Playfield, near Denby High School, where he opened fire on people he believed were involved in the earlier incident, according to investigators.
The shooting killed Shelmonson-Bey and Grubbs, who were at the park with his mother and four siblings, according to Fox2. The former’s father told the outlet that he was trying to protect another child on the playground.
None of the victims knew one another. Ware and Wheeler were arrested on Wednesday following an investigation by Detroit police officers. They were arraigned on Saturday.
