GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Police have located a vehicle that may be connected to the deaths of three young people found just blocks apart on Grand Rapids southeast side.
Police got the initial call around 11:15 a.m. Monday on Horton Avenue SE and Melville Street SE and at Melville and Francis Avenue SE.
Police say two bodies, a young man and a young woman, were found in the middle of the road a few blocks apart.
Family members later identified the woman as Kentwood resident Anayia Michelle Rodriguez.
READ MORE: Family identifies victim in Burton Heights murders investigation
“What I can say is that, tragically, we have two bloody bodies in the street and we don’t have an explanation for it," said GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom.
Nobody we spoke to heard gunshots or anything unusual before the bodies were found.
"Looked like nobody saw or heard anything," one neighbor said. "We were talking to the neighbors in the area front of where it happened and nobody heard any gunshots or anything."
One homeowner near where Rodriguez was found shared this video with FOX 17. She believes it depicts the woman's body being thrown out of a vehicle and driving away.
Police say they believe it was a targeted attack but no suspects have been identified.
Police are asking any witnesses to come forward.
Just before 4 p.m. Monday, a third person, a young man, was found dead one block from where the other two victims were found. It is not yet known if that person's death is related although the chief says it's likely given his experience in police work.
"These don't appear to be random at all. We haven't pieced together exactly how they fit together but I don't think there's any danger to the community at large," Winstrom said.
"All the neighbors that I talked to today, they want to be safe, they want better for this community. There was a strong sense of community here. Neighbors are out on the sidewalk talking together this afternoon. A lot of them were grieving together. This is not something that they want to say."
The chief added that the community will not tolerate this type of violence where they live.
"And part of that making sure you don't tolerate this, this sort of violence in your neighborhood. And (residents) are not. They're outraged about it. I'm outraged about it. And it's that outrage that tenacity to make sure that we keep doing what's right. Whether it's the police department holding these individuals accountable, the rest of the community working on issues with root causes, with our youth, all the things together, we can get to the point. We never want to be the city where we tolerate this and move on. This is absolutely outrageous," Winstrom said in an afternoon news conference.
READ MORE: 3rd person found dead in SE Grand Rapids neighborhood
Police are stepping up patrols in the community.
"You're going to see a lot of police here for the foreseeable future. And we expect the public, especially in this neighborhood to be extra vigilant. If you see something, say something. We are looking for the public's help. We've had a lot of support from this community coming out. They want this place to be safe," Winstrom added.
Later on Monday night, police came across a car that matched the description of a vehicle of interest in the homicides. It was found unoccupied in the 1000 block of Sherman SE.
The vehicle is a black SUV. Police processed the vehicle and towed it away Monday night.
If you have any information on the case, detectives can be reached at (616) 456-3380 or tips can be sent anonymously through Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345 or reported online.
