One person has died and two others have been hospitalized following what is thought to be a “random” shooting in Oxford on Christmas Eve night.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said it learned of the major incident shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday near Ray Road and North Oxford Road.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered three people had been shot. Those individuals were transported to a hospital. The sheriff’s office announced the next day, Christmas, that one of the victims had died.
The other two victims “should be on the road to physical healing,” according to a sheriff’s office update released on Wednesday.
Neighbors claim they heard at least four gunshots.
“We were just sitting inside, watching a holiday program, when we heard four very quick gunshots. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious when you hear gunshots,” said Tom Binkowski, who lives in the neighborhood. “It is Christmas Eve. “What are they thinking?”
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect is in custody and a gun has been recovered.
On Wednesday, investigators said they believe the shooting was random. The suspect was allegedly passing through the area when he went “on a violent spree at multiple locations.”
The suspect is a convicted felon with a history of multiple weapons offenses. He was taken to jail while formal charges were pending.
Binkowski says his wife is shaken up by the Tuesday shooting. The incident occurred just steps from Oxford High School, where the family resides.
“Anyone who goes through something like that, I think it’s always going to be there,” Binkowski told me. “She’s been on the phone with teachers at the school and has been talking about it, seems to help them through it.”
Binkowski and other neighbors believe the victims were assisting the shooter, who was off the road in a vehicle when the shots rang.
