Police said an altercation at an after-hours location led to gunfire, while a community violence leader said the dispute may have involved a cellphone.
DETROIT, MI — Three men were killed and four other people were injured Sunday morning when an altercation erupted into gunfire at an after-hours location on Detroit’s west side, authorities said. Police responded shortly after 7:20 a.m. to the area of Prest Street and Eaton Avenue.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said officers received a ShotSpotter notification before a 911 call and arrived within about four minutes. Officers found three men with fatal gunshot wounds. Four other people — two men and two women — were taken to hospitals in private vehicles with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police said the shooting followed a fight, but investigators had not publicly identified who fired the shots or announced any arrests as of Sunday.
“A fight occurred, an altercation occurred, and as a result, individuals decided to settle it with gun violence,” Bettison said during a news conference. He said investigators had developed leads and did not believe the shooting represented an ongoing threat to the surrounding community. Authorities continued working to identify the person or people responsible.
Community Violence Intervention leader Tamara Smith said information gathered by violence-prevention workers indicated the dispute may have started over a cellphone. Police had not publicly confirmed a cellphone as the cause of the confrontation. Smith said the violence did not have to follow the physical dispute and described the deaths and injuries as preventable.
One of the men killed was identified by his family to WXYZ-TV as 45-year-old Ansley Harris Jr. Authorities had not publicly released the identities of all three men who died. Earlier in the day, Bettison said the men killed were approximately 30 years old or older. The four surviving victims were described as two men and two women in their 20s and 30s.
Police said the location where the shooting occurred was already known to the department. Bettison said officers had received seven calls for service at the address since the beginning of the year and that the department had an investigation involving the property. He described the site as an after-hours location and compared the activity there to an after-hours strip club, though he did not provide details about the earlier investigation.
A nearby resident who spoke to WXYZ-TV under the name Alex said neighbors had noticed increased activity around the property before the shooting, including cars, crowds and fighting. The resident said the situation appeared to escalate over several days and that neighbors had contacted authorities. The witness also reported hearing an argument and threats before a rapid series of gunshots Sunday morning. Police had not publicly detailed the full sequence of events leading to the shooting.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield joined Bettison and other community leaders after the shooting and said the city would continue efforts to address illegal after-hours operations in homes and businesses. Sheffield also said city services would be made available to residents and families affected by the violence. The shooting occurred in an area served by a Community Violence Intervention program, which works with residents and local organizations to prevent retaliatory and other violence.
Investigators continued pursuing leads Sunday and had not publicly announced an arrest. Bettison said police intended to identify those responsible and reiterated that authorities did not believe there was a continuing danger to the public. Officials asked people with information about the shooting to contact Detroit police or Crime Stoppers.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.