Detroit News this Past Week

Christopher Rafael Gouch, 25, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the Sept. 27 Prest Street shooting that killed three; his attorney says he acted in self-defense. Mayor Mary Sheffield and Police Chief Todd Bettison say homicides fell 25% this summer. Waymo's cars began driving Detroit streets with no one at the wheel. Comments are open below.

The Weather: Rain Tuesday and Friday; Highs Fall to 52 by Saturday

Light drizzle opens the week Sunday, Oct. 11, with a high of 65° and the week's highest chance of rain, 44%. Monday, Oct. 12, is the warmest day at 66°. Tuesday, Oct. 13, brings the most rain, about seven-tenths of an inch, and a high of 52°; Wednesday, Oct. 14, stays cool at 55° with a low of 42°. Highs rebound to 65° Thursday, Oct. 15, before showers Friday, Oct. 16, and a high of 52° Saturday, Oct. 17.

The News

Man charged with murder in Prest Street shooting that killed three

Christopher Rafael Gouch, 25, of Detroit, was arraigned Oct. 2 on 14 charges: three counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to murder and seven counts of felony firearm, ClickOnDetroit and Deadline Detroit reported; The Detroit News describes the four counts as attempted murder. Prosecutors say he fired at a gathering at an illegal after-hours establishment in a home on Prest Street around 7 a.m. Sept. 27, killing Ansley Harris Jr., 45, and Donahvan Gray, 36, both of Detroit, and Kevin Scott, 63, of Belleville, and wounding four others.

“Seven people shot, three dead because of a cellphone,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said, describing a fight among women over a missing phone that moved outside before shots were fired. ClickOnDetroit reports prosecutors described the dead as a security guard, a DJ and a party-goer; The Detroit News quotes Assistant Prosecutor Elizabeth Dornik describing them as a security guard, a DJ and the owner of the facility. Among the wounded, ClickOnDetroit lists a 32-year-old woman from Detroit; The Detroit News lists a 32-year-old Redford Township woman.

Gouch holds a concealed pistol license and has no felony record. His attorney, Raed Mourad, said: “He was preventing someone from getting jumped, and when he did that, he got jumped.” Bond was denied, and his probable cause conference is Friday, Oct. 9. Police Chief Todd Bettison said the department will step up enforcement against illegal after-hours establishments. FOX 2 Detroit's headline on the case places the shooting on the city's east side; its article text, like the other outlets, places Prest Street on the west side.

Source: The Detroit News, Deadline Detroit, ClickOnDetroit, FOX 2 Detroit, October 2, 2026

Homicides fell 25% this summer, mayor and police chief say

Homicides fell 25% from June through August compared with last summer, and juvenile homicides 89%, from nine victims to one, Mayor Mary Sheffield and Police Chief Todd Bettison said Monday, Oct. 5, at the Adams Butzel Recreation Center. Bettison reported decreases of 34.6% in carjackings, 17.2% in motor vehicle thefts, 13.3% in burglaries, 10% in robberies, 9.4% in nonfatal shootings, 6.9% in aggravated assaults and 6.3% in larcenies. Sexual assaults rose 5.8% over the summer, he said, but are down for the year.

Sheffield credited in part her Occupy the Summer program, which she said drew about 15,000 young people over 10 weeks, and the city's Community Violence Intervention programs. “We cannot police our way out of crime,” she said.

Source: ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4, October 5, 2026

Waymo cars now drive Detroit streets with no one at the wheel

Waymo began fully driverless testing in Detroit, the company said Tuesday, Oct. 6. “We'll continue driving in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods like Corktown, Midtown, Hamtramck and Indian Village,” spokesman Chris Bonelli said. Rides are open only to Waymo employees for now; the company gave no date for public service. Its cars had carried trained specialists at the wheel while mapping the city, the Detroit Free Press and Deadline Detroit reported. The Detroit News reports the fleet includes Chinese-made Zeekr Ojai vehicles and Jaguar iPace models.

Source: Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, Deadline Detroit, ClickOnDetroit, October 6, 2026

Make Detroit Home draws more than 6,500 applicants

Make Detroit Home, run by the city and nonprofit MoveDetroit, has drawn more than 6,500 applicants from across the country, Local 4 reported. Thirteen first-phase recipients will each receive a $15,000 grant toward a home or a business, and 300 applicants will receive $1,000 to help with moving. MoveDetroit says the program has helped attract or keep nearly 160 households, and its president, Hilary Doe, said the next phase is being planned.

Source: ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4, October 6, 2026

Blind voters say accessible voting machines rarely work

Blind Detroit voters and advocates told City Council that the Voter Assist Terminals meant to let people with disabilities vote on their own often fail to power up, play audio too low or lack headphones, Local 4 reported. “One year, my daughter and I sat there for six hours trying to get the machine to work,” said Stephen Handschu, 79. Richard Clay, president of the Detroit Advocates of the Blind, called it “a violation of my federal civil rights.” Council President James Tate said council has raised the issue with City Clerk Janice Winfrey's office; a spokesman for Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago Romero said she will meet the group. Early in-person voting runs Saturday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Source: ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4, October 2, 2026; Detroit Free Press, October 3, 2026

People Mover study puts station safety first, eyes new routes

A Detroit Transportation Corporation mobility study recommends better lighting, clearer signage and improved accessibility at People Mover stations, and a 2027 analysis of new rail cars and routes, Local 4 reported. The routes it would consider run to Michigan Central and Corktown via Michigan Avenue, to the Stadium District and Eastern Market, and along the west riverfront toward Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. General manager Melia Howard said improving existing facilities is the priority and that residents will be invited to public meetings. The 2.9-mile elevated loop opened in 1987.

Source: ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4, October 2, 2026

Two families sue Hutchison Funeral Home over cremation mix-up

Fieger Law filed two suits in Wayne County Circuit Court on behalf of the families of Kimberly Moore and Sandra Miller against Hutchison Funeral Home, owner Jaimie Hutchison and Michigan Cremation Services. The families allege Moore was cremated before her Sept. 19 viewing and that Miller's body was dressed and shown in her place. Moore's family says it has not received her ashes, which attorneys say will undergo DNA testing. Attorney James Harrington called the incident “preventable” and “careless.”

The outlets identify the daughters differently. ClickOnDetroit identifies Bianca Robinson as Moore's daughter; FOX 2 Detroit quotes her as Miller's daughter. Miller's daughter who spoke at the news conference is Cessley Walker in ClickOnDetroit's report and Cecily Walker in FOX 2's.

Source: ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4, October 1, 2026; FOX 2 Detroit, September 30, 2026

Metro Detroit

Wayne County overrides veto of tax breaks for Van Buren data center

The Wayne County Commission voted 13-0 Thursday, Oct. 1, to override County Executive Warren Evans' Sept. 25 veto of tax breaks for a planned Google data center in Van Buren Township, FOX 2 Detroit reported. Two commissioners were absent. Commissioners said the vote was not an approval of the data center itself. “I myself personally, voted against it a couple weeks ago,” Commissioner Allen Wilson said. “But after more information, I dug into it deeper. Union folks will get opportunities to go to work.” Evans said in a statement that he felt the same way about the abatements after the override.

The project, called Project Cannoli, would occupy 230 acres north of I-94 between Haggerty Road and I-275 and would be the largest data center in Michigan, FOX 2 reported. It would use one gigawatt of electricity and two to three million gallons of water a day, according to FOX 2. Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara has said the project will lower water rates for township customers.

The same day, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved a 20-year supply contract and a clean energy agreement between DTE Electric and Google, on condition that no costs pass to DTE's other customers, The Detroit News reported. Google must pay for at least 80% of its contracted electricity even if it uses less, and at least 15 years of minimum charges if it cancels early. Google will also pay for DTE to build up to 1,600 megawatts of renewable energy and 480 megawatts of battery storage. DTE says the contracts will produce a $1.7 billion net benefit for its other customers over 20 years. The data center is expected to start running in December 2027 and reach full load a year later.

Source: FOX 2 Detroit, The Detroit News, October 1, 2026; ClickOnDetroit, October 2, 2026

Event details and times can change. Confirm with each venue before heading out.