FeedsShooting fallout lingers
Harsh words from the mayor of Westland published by at least two media outlets about a shootout at a Westland strip mall caused Romulus officials to respond in kind after the city council meeting Monday.
The comments – which Romulus Mayor Alan Lambert said were prompted by exasperation at comments made by Westland Mayor Bill Wild and Westland City Council President Jim Godbout – came at the end of the meeting, after a Farmington Hills woman offered an account of what it was like to be inside Bob’s of Canton at the time of the incident.
“I don’t think anyone is happy that it happened,” he said. “But I do think that the comments (Westland officials) made were out of line. We were all very fortunate that no one – except the bad guys – were hurt.”
Wild and Godbout were critical of the Romulus Police Department, which conducted an undercover drug sting at the strip mall on Merriman Road in Westland two weeks ago that quickly evolved into a shootout between five suspects and undercover police officers.
But Lambert said that Westland officials were overly critical – especially given a situation where Westland Police officers fired shots inside in Romulus’ borders about two weeks prior to the strip mall incident.
Shots fired
The shooting occurred at about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 12 after Romulus police met five men at the strip mall. Undercover detectives were conducting a drug buy to purchase 3 kilos of cocaine valued at $60,000. They were preparing to finalize the deal when the situation turned into an armed robbery.
The buy turned into a life-threatening situation when guns were pulled on police, who then shot two of the suspects, 28-year-old Brian Thomas and 32-year-old Benjamin Pringle, both of Detroit. Thomas died at the scene, and Pringle remains hospitalized.
Three other suspects – Demond Sanders, 29, and Roberto Reed, 32, both of Detroit, and Joseph Boldizar, 49, of Garden City – were charged at the 18th District Court in Westland for their alleged role in the robbery. The men are being held at the Wayne County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond.
Pringle was charged at the hospital.
No officers were hurt in the exchange of gunfire.
Afterwards, Wild said that Romulus police exposed residents to unnecessary danger, and Godbout requested a formal resolution condemning the Romulus Police Department.
Customers terrified
Rosemary Rodeghier, a Farmington Hills resident who was shopping at Bob’s at the time the incident was taking place, said she was terrified by the events at the mall.
“I go over it in my head all of the time since it happened,” she said. “I wonder if a family member of the police officers who were in the store were going to go there, if they would call them to tell them not to go.
“There was an elderly woman that was in the store, and she was just shaking,” she added.
Rodeghier also said she had the misfortune of seeing Thomas’ body after he had been shot by police.
“I wasn’t sure that he was dead, I thought he was just cuffed on the ground,” she said.
Lambert said he was sorry Rodeghier went through the trauma of the incident, but said officers acted properly in light of the circumstances.
“I apologize to you on behalf of the Romulus Police Department . . . . but I also believe it was the skill of the officers that kept (innocent) people from getting hurt,” he said.
Rodeghier said she’s not sure that’s an acceptable response, and said she believes the alleged criminals shouldn’t have been allowed to pick the spot where the incident played out.
Operations cross lines
Romulus Deputy Police Chief Michael St. Andre said it’s not uncommon for police officers – especially undercover narcotics investigators – to conduct activities in other cities if the suspects make such a request.
“It’s not uncommon at all,” he said. “Several other departments have been in Romulus.”
Both Lambert and St. Andre mentioned that Westland police had fired shots in a public place in Romulus, but the circumstances remained unclear.
“We didn’t say a thing about it after it happened,” Lambert said.
St. Andre did not immediately return calls seeking comment Tuesday.
Calls made to Wild’s office were not immediately returned Tuesday.
Lambert said that he’s like to see everyone involved put the case behind them.
“We need to move on from this,” he said.
Staff Writer Meghan Chatham contributed to this report.
