Police search for suspects in Hazel Park carjacking

HAZEL PARK — A woman’s car was stolen after she was allegedly confronted by three masked gunmen late at night in Hazel Park — one of whom reportedly fired a gun as she fled on foot.

The incident reportedly occurred around 12:30 a.m. July 18 in the 1800 block of East Eight Mile Road near Dequindre Road. The victim, a 42-year-old Detroit woman, told police that she is an employee at a local business and was returning to where her red Toyota Camry was parked.

That’s when she allegedly witnessed three men who looked suspicious approaching her. Frightened, the victim entered her car and tried to leave, but she found herself cornered by the trio. Each suspect was allegedly wearing a ski mask and carrying a gun. The victim told police that the three men aimed their guns at her and then ordered her to exit the vehicle.

The woman reportedly did as she was told, at which point the suspects asked her to hand over her purse and phone. She allegedly told them that both were still inside the car, and then she fled the scene on foot, crossing Eight Mile Road from Hazel Park into Detroit.

As she ran, the victim claims that she heard one of the suspects fire a single shot into the air. She allegedly entered a business on Eight Mile Road’s Detroit side and had someone inside call 911, at which point Detroit police notified Hazel Park, and Hazel Park police alerted neighboring departments.

When law enforcement arrived at the scene, the victim’s Toyota Camry was already gone, and the three suspects had disappeared along with it. The vehicle was then recovered two days later in Detroit. Police say that the vehicle was about 15 years old and not considered a lucrative target, making the carjacking an apparent crime of opportunity.

Hazel Park Police Chief Brian Buchholz said that he urges anyone with information about the suspects or the incident to contact his department by calling (248) 542-6161. He also advised people to exercise caution when outside after dark.

“Anytime someone is out after midnight, they should park in a well-lit area and know their surroundings,” Buchholz said in an email. “We don’t know the motive in this case, or whether the victim was targeted or the suspects just planned to commit this crime and then happened across her.

“This is a rare crime that does not happen very often. The last carjacking (in Hazel Park) occurred in 2018,” the chief said. “Our detectives are putting a lot of time and effort into finding and identifying the suspects in this case.”