SAGINAW -- Saginaw police arrest several people after a rash of violent crimes across the city. Police say gang violence may be at the heart of some of these problems.
The wave of crime has neighbors on edge. There were four robberies, four shootings, a beating death and a gang involved shooting. Arrests have been made in the gang shooting and the beating death but two additional suspects allegedly involved in the beating death are on the run.
On Tuesday, five young men allegedly beat a 52-year old man to death. It happened on Roberts Street. It was Saginaw’s first homicide of the year. Police Chief Brian Lipe tells NBC25, the young men were drunk and thought it would be “a good time to beat someone up.” Three suspects were arrested but two men are still on the run. Police are looking for Daquavis Martin, 20, and Kenneth Reed, 18.
On Tuesday, a 17-year old was shot in the chest near Webber and Fairfax streets. Police have arrested three people, two of them are juveniles. Police say two gangs are involved in the shooting, The H&R boys and the Sunnyside gang. Police say they're doing the best they can to put an end to the crime.
"One shooting is too many. Our task and what we're optimistic (about) is that through these efforts and our cooperation, working with state police, we've got the momentum going to reduce this,” says Brian Lipe, acting chief of the Saginaw police department.
"I'm very optimistic that we will be able to have a big effect on the violence between the gangs," says Melvin Russell, a detective with Michigan State Police.
Police have also arrested Eric Scott, 21, in connection with the July 2012 murder of Russell Turner. Police say they found the suspect shoveling snow in his front yard. As for the suspects on the run, they may be driving a green Geo Prizm. Anyone with any information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-422 JAIL.
