EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Authorities seek information after a body was found in East Grand Rapids early Wednesday morning.
"About 12:35 a.m. this morning we received a call from Kent County dispatch. 'Welfare check', 'man down' call at the intersection of Plymouth and Lake Drive," said Mark Herald, director of public safety in East Grand Rapids. "When our officers responded there was an individual in the area on the streets who had been shot. Our officers immediately began CPR and they continued CPR until the ambulance arrived."
When medical personnel arrived they continued to perform CPR, he said. However, their attempts were unsuccessful. The individual, identified as a Black man, was pronounced dead at the scene and the body was transported to Blodgett Hospital a block away.
"Everyone was grateful that he was found before all the kids walked to school because this is just like a parade of kids in the morning walking to school 'cause the school’s right down there," Ahlberg said. "I'm glad that it didn’t happen [and] wasn’t seen by kids."
East Grand Rapids police are investigating the case of a man that was found with a gunshot wound near Lake & Plymouth, near Blodgett Hospital. He later died.
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) January 25, 2023
We spoke w/ police and a resident who’s trying to get a camera installed at the intersection.
More at 4/5/6p on @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/fezvTFEVi2
Ahlberg said there's a lot of activity that happens at the intersection overnight, from accidents to speedy drivers to wrong-way drivers.
So, Ahlberg and her neighbors are petitioning to have a camera installed at the intersection, she said.
"Honestly it’s starting to happen so much. Probably every three weeks we have some sort of incident where cops are knocking on our doors, asking us questions. Like even them, they didn’t think anything of it, the sirens at 4 a.m. because it's so normal," said Ahlberg pointing to her neighbors who live at the intersection. "But, there’s likely activity going on."
When FOX 17 posed her idea to police, Herald said they were already looking into it.
"There are systems that other cities have, the flock system, and it is one of the things that we’re looking at," Herald said. "We have found those to be very beneficial. Again, it's just more eyes out there in the community. So, that's something that we’re looking at."
Grand Rapids police did confirm they responded to a report of shots fired early Wednesday morning. They told FOX 17 they were in the area of Martin Luther King Jr St SE and Cass Avenue SE just after midnight.
However, Herald said police do not know if the two incidents are connected.
Regardless, Ahlberg is hoping a camera is put up soon.
"I believe the city should be paying for a light camera," she said. "Then they would catch everything."
***People with information should call 616-949-7010. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.***
