FARMINGTON HILLS — A mother and son have been arrested following a recent shooting incident.
Patricia Wright, 47, and her son, Brendon Wright, 19, are facing charges following an incident at Fox Pointe Townhouses, located near 11 Mile and Halsted roads, May 28.
At approximately 2:15 a.m., calls to 911 reported a group of people fighting in the parking lot.
According to a press release, dispatchers advised officers, after they were already en route, that gunfire was heard, and a vehicle had fled the scene.
After entering the complex, officers stopped the fleeing vehicle, and one of the occupants stated that she had been assaulted by her boyfriend, a resident of the townhouses.
Friends of the woman reportedly attempted to intervene during the incident, which led to the fight in the parking lot, according to the release.
Witnesses said Patricia Wright exited her residence and became involved in the altercation.
“During the fight, Patricia Wright returned to her residence, retrieved a gun from a safe, and then returned to the parking lot,” the release states. “As the group returned to their car and fled, Patricia Wright pointed the gun at them and fired one shot at the fleeing vehicle. The bullet missed the vehicle, traveled across the parking lot and into a neighbor’s residence, narrowly missing multiple innocent people, including the resident who was in the apartment.”
Following an on-scene investigation, Patricia and her son, Brendon Wright, were both arrested.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office issued an eight-count felony warrant charging Patricia Wright with one count of discharging a firearm into a dwelling, three counts of felonious assault with a firearm, and four counts of felony firearm.
Brendon Wright was charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Patricia Wright was arraigned May 30 in 47th District Court. A not-guilty plea was entered on her behalf, with bond set at $75,000 cash or surety, 10%.
According to court records, she posted bond and has a pre-exam conference scheduled for July 15.
Brendon Wright was also arraigned May 30 at 47th District Court. A not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, with bond set at $5,000 personal recognizance.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled June 17.
“We have recently seen a senseless escalation in preventable violence within the community,” Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King stated in the release. “In this case, the homeowner had several opportunities to deescalate the situation. Instead, she chose to retrieve a firearm from a locked safe and recklessly fire at the group as they were attempting to remove themselves from the situation. This impulsive act not only endangered this group of people, but also put numerous other residents in danger.”
Patricia Wright is being represented by attorney Jack Kramer.
“I have the utmost respect for Karen McDonald and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office when it comes to their policy and procedures with regard to making charging decisions,” Kramer said. “I know that their No. 1 concern is the safety of the community, and I know that’s something that they consider when evaluating each case, but there’s always situations where all of the facts and circumstances are not immediately apparent to law enforcement and to the prosecutor. I think this case is an example of that. We’re looking forward to seeing the court process play out and working with (the) Prosecutor’s Office to resolve this matter favorably for my client.”
The release states that the Farmington Hills Police Department will relentlessly pursue justice against those who commit violence within the community.
“The Farmington Hills Police Department is dedicated to preventing these senseless acts of violence through working with community partners,” the release states. “The Farmington Hills Police Department is a part of the Farmington Hills Coordinated Community Response Team. This group includes representatives from the Farmington Hills Police Department, City of Farmington Department of Public Safety, HAVEN, Call to Action Coalition, Mai Family Services, Oakland University, Jewish Family Services, Farmington Public Schools, Corewell Health, State and City prosecutors, and the 47th District Court. Team members meet regularly to pursue the goal of preventing the tragedy of domestic violence by reaching out to people in crisis and making them aware of vital services that are available.”
The release encouraged residents to utilize available resources “to prevent these senseless acts of violence from continuing.”
The attorney for Brendon Wright did not provide comments by press time.