Wayne State campus on lockdown after four teens shot at Noel Night in Detroit

Four teenagers were injured when gunshots rang out during the popular holiday festival Noel Night in Detroit's Midtown Saturday, police said.

At about 7:40 p.m., the streets around the Detroit Institute of Arts were teeming with crowds of festival-goers when about four gunshots went off near John R and Farnsworth. People started screaming and running in the chaos.

Detroit Police Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood said there were four people struck, three male teens ages 14, 15 and 19 and one 17-year-old female. Detroit Police assisted in taking three victims to the hospital. Their injuries are non-life-threatening, Kirkwood said.

The 19-year-old went to the hospital on his own and told hospital personnel that he was shot at Noel Night. He was grazed in the hand and leg and is in stable condition.

The 15-year-old was shot in the right calf. The 17-year-old female was wounded in the right leg. And the 14-year-old was shot in the leg.

There was a large group of people on a side street, outside the DIA when a dispute erupted and multiple shots were fired.

Kirkwood described the shooter as a light-skinned black man wearing tan pants. He was observed firing shots into the ground before opening fire.

Asked what may have been the cause of the shooting, she said she did not have additional details but police are investigating.

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After the shooting, streets near the DIA were blocked off and a police helicopter with a spotlight circled above the area; nearby Wayne State University's campus was put on lockdown.

Describing the incident, Detroit Police Chief James Craig told WXYZ-TV, "Some pushing, some shoving, and then shots fired. We have police employed throughout the venue. They heard the shots and responded... And they were able to respond and treat the victim. One of the police officers actually transported the victim to the local hospital."

"It's ridiculous. ... Why? For what?" Craig said. "Why is there a need to use a weapon. We're going to do as much as we can to ID the shooter."

Wayne State University Police did not comment on the shooting, referring calls to its media department. Wayne State spokesman Theodore Montgomery said: "We're monitoring closely the situation that occurred at Noel Night. Through an abundance of caution, our campus is on lockdown. Our police chief is in contact with the DPD (Detroit Police Department) and we will continue to monitor the situation."

Alexis Wiley, chief of staff to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, did not comment on the shooting and referred questions to police.

On Twitter, festival-goers described a confusing, chaotic scene after the shooting, and people who were near the DIA described stampede-like running and police cars racing down Woodward Avenue with sirens blaring.

But it's likely thousands of people at the event had no idea about the gunshots. Noel Night, an annual holiday celebration in Detroit in its 45th year featuring carriage rides and holiday shopping, along with music, theater and other performances, spans blocks and blocks of Midtown with more than 100 institutions participating in the event.

The event, which started at 5 p.m., was to end at 10 p.m. but police evacuated areas early. The QLine rail tweeted at 8:50 p.m. that it had suspended service "due to police activity in the area" but tweeted at 9:20 p.m. that service had resumed.

Rachel Lutz, a small business owner in Midtown, was at her nearby clothing store, Peacock Room when the shooting happened.

"It's sad it happened during such a family friendly event that's such a magical experience," Lutz said.

But, she added, the Midtown area is safe, and "people view this as an isolated incident."

In recent years, Midtown has experienced a revival as new businesses open and residents flock to the area. "As a small business owner, I've never felt seriously concerned about my personal safety" or the safety of employees, Lutz said.

Staff writer Tresa Baldas and other Free Press staff contributed to this report. Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or 313-223-4792. Follow him on Twitter @nwarikoo