Crime & Safety

POLL: Has the Stars & Stripes Shooting Changed Your Opinion on the Event's Safety?

A shooting following the 2012 Stars & Stripes Festival fireworks Friday in Mount Clemens has some Patch readers vowing never to return to the event, while others say the event is still safe.

Despite Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham's following Friday's shooting at the , some Macomb Patch readers say they're not so sure.

As thousands of people left the annual fireworks display around 10:35 p.m. Friday, an 18-year-old Warren man shot a 19-year-old Detroit man in the leg on Market Street, Wickersham said Saturday. The fight is believed to have started over a pair of Cartier sunglasses.

"There was a confrontation between two males," Wickersham said. "The suspect took the (sun)glasses off the head of the victim."

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When the victim went to get his Cartier sunglasses back, the suspect "pulls out a gun and shoots him in the leg," he said.

The suspect then dropped the gun and fled. Nearby deputies, who were on hand for the event, apprehended him and retrieved the weapon. 

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was one of the fireworks attendees to witness the shooting.

"This happened less then 20 feet away from me and my family," O'Brien posted on Patch. "What if it hit a child? Would you still say its safe to come down and bring your children! The crowds were out of control! ... I will never bring my family back again!"

Jennifer Kozlowski Green had similar feelings.

"Shooting at MC fireworks and Detroit. What next? Makes me wonder should we go to any of these firework events," Green posted on Patch's Facebook page.

However Dennis Surdu said the incident won't deter him from enjoying the annual event. 

"I was there, TONS of people, didn't hear/see any incidents," he posted on Facebook. "Crowds seem to have a good time, music was great, food was tasty. Likely going back for more tonight."

The Warren man is being lodged in Macomb County Jail, where he will be given interim bond Sunday. He is expected to be arraigned on felony charges Monday. The Sheriff's Office said it is seeking attempted murder, armed robbery and felony firearm charges from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. It was not determined by Saturday if those charges would be authorized for this case.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover from his injuries.

The shooting took place as an estimated 50,000 people were in the city's downtown for the multi-day festival, Wickersham said.

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