LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT. LOCAL 4 NEWS AT SIX STARTS NOW. THE FAMILY AND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT STRICKEN WITH GRIEF
AT THE SHOOTING DEATH OF POLICE
OFFICER LAUREN COURTS. HE WAS
WITHOUT A DOUBT A HERO. AND
YOU’RE GONNA HEAR THAT OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE IT’S
IMPORTANT. WE SPENT TOO MUCH
TIME. TALKING ABOUT? NON HEROES.
AS NEW INFORMATION EMERGES.
WE’RE HEARING FROM OFFICER
COURTS FATHER WHOSE FOOTSTEPS HE
FOLLOWED IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WITHOUT MY SON TO TORTURE IS A
RULE. LITTLE WORSE OFF. THAT
SENTIMENT SHARED TONIGHT BY SO
MANY WHO KNEW OFFICER COURTS AND
SERVED RIGHT BESIDE HIM. WE HAVE
A LOT TO GET TO HEAR IT. SIX
BEGINNING WITH THE NEW
INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AROUND 7 40
PM, ACCORDING TO CHIEF WHITE
OFFICER, COURTS AND OFFICER
AMANDA HUDGENS WERE IN THE FIRST
CAR TO RESPOND TO JOY AND MARLO
ON A 911 CALL OF SOMEONE FIRING
INDISCRIMINATELY. THEY WERE
IMMEDIATELY AMBUSHED BY THE
GUNMAN WHO FIRED FROM AN
APARTMENT WINDOW INTO THE CAR
HITTING OFFICER COURTS. HODGINS
THEN RISKED HER OWN SAFETY,
TRYING TO RENDER AID TO HER
FALLEN PARTNER. EVEN THOUGH THE
GUNMAN WAS STILL VERY MUCH A
THREAT. OTHER OFFICERS ARRIVED
ONE OF WHOM SHOT AND KILLED THE
GUNMAN. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT
HAPPENING WITHIN THE SPAN OF
ABOUT TWO MINUTES. CHIEF WHITE
ALSO CONFIRMED THE WEAPON THAT
KILLED OFFICER COURTS WAS A
DRACO ASSAULT RIFLE PURCHASED
WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THE
CHIEF SAYING, IT’S TIME FOR REAL
CHANGE. YESTERDAY WAS JUST
SIMPLY THE WORST DAY OF THIS
FAMILY’S LIVES PERIOD. I DON’T
HAVE WORDS TO MAKE THEM FEEL
BETTER. I CAN ONLY TELL THEM
THAT OVER TIME, THE PAIN MAY GET
A LITTLE EASIER. BUT I CAN’T
GUARANTEE IT. THE ONLY THING
THAT I CAN PROMISE YOU IS THAT
WE WILL NEVER FORGET HIM HIS
SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENFORCE THE
LAW AND HIS HONOR AND OTHERS
LIKE HIM. BUT AGAIN, WE NEED
HELP. WE LIKE THEM UP. KEEP THEM
LOCKED UP. IF YOU VIOLATE THE
LAW, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PENALTY
FOR IT. I DON’T SEE ANYBODY
FEARING A PENALTY FOR IT.
OFFICER COURTS WAS 40 YEARS OLD
MARRIED AND A FATHER OF TWO
CHILDREN, CHIEF WHITE SAID
OFFICER COURTS SERVED WITH
DIGNITY AND INTEGRITY. DPD FOR
FIVE YEARS. HE WAS ALSO THE SON
OF A RETIRED DETROIT POLICE
OFFICER. THAT WOULD BE OFFICER
LARRY COURTS, WHO GRACIOUSLY
TOOK TIME TO SPEAK WITH OUR ROD
MELONI TODAY JOINS US LIVE IN
ROD WE HEARD CHIEF WHITE
REFERRED TO OFFICER LARRY COURTS
AS A LEGEND IN THE DEPARTMENT.
YEAH ANYBODY WHO KNEW HIM KNOWS
HE’S A LEGEND AND I’LL TELL YOU
WHY TAKE A LOOK BEHIND HERE.
THIS IS WHERE THE SHOOTING
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, STARTING
WITH THE WINDOWS, THE BROKEN
WINDOWS UPSTAIRS, SHOOTING DOWN
ON HIM NOW. YEAH LARRY COURT
SPENT 32 YEARS IN THE DETROIT
POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE GOT WORD
OF HIS SON BEING SHOT AND MET
HIM AT SINAI GRACE HOSPITAL.
LARRY COURTS IS AMAZINGLY CALM
FOR A MAN. WHO WATCHED HIS SON
PULLED BLOODY FROM A POLICE
CRUISER LAST NIGHT. HE WAS A 36
YEAR OLD ROOKIE OFFICER. LAUREN
COURTS WORKED MUCH OF HIS ADULT
LIFE AT COSTCO BUT COULDN’T
RESIST THE POLL OF POLICE WORK,
HIS DAD, LARRY TOLD US TODAY.
WHAT HE TOLD ME WAS SOMETHING HE
ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. HE WANTED
TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS. AND I
DIDN’T ENCOURAGE HIM. I DIDN’T
DISCOURAGE HIM. BUT WHEN HE
DECIDED TO DO IT, UH, YOU KNOW,
I SUPPORTED HIM IN FIVE YEARS,
LAUREN WORKED HIS WAY UP TO THE
DAY SIDE SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT
WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF
OVERTIME, WHICH HE WORKED. LAST
NIGHT. HE HAD VOLUNTEERED TO
STAY ON AFTER REGULAR HOURS. HE
HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED A CITATION
FOR ARRESTING A MURDER SUSPECT
AND FINDING THE MURDER WEAPON.
BUT LARRY SAYS HE WAS MORE THAN
JUST A GREAT COP. A DECENT
FELLOW, UM SIMPLY LOVED HIS
FAMILY. AND HIS MOM. THEY HAD
SUCH A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP. UM,
VERY PROFESSIONAL. UM JUST JUST
A GOOD GUY GOT TO SINAI GRACE
HOSPITAL LAST NIGHT AT THE SAME
TIME HIS SON DID, AND HE SAW HIM
BROUGHT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM
WOUNDED, BUT THE VETERAN OFFICER
IN HIM HAS HIS EMOTIONS ON HOLD
AT THE PRESENT TIME. I’M NOT
MOURNFUL. I’M THANKFUL FOR HIM
AND HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY. UM
I’M SURE IT MAY TAKE A COUPLE OF
DAYS OR SO. $4 TO SINK IN. AH
BUT RIGHT NOW I’M TRYING TO
CONCENTRATE ON HIS KIDS. YOU
KNOW MY GRANDKIDS, THE FAMILY,
MY WIFE. NOW YOU’RE LOOKING AT
THE CORNER WHERE LAUREN COURTS
WAS WORKED ON BY HIS PARTNER,
AMANDA HUTCHINS, NOW AFTER SHE
PUT HER LIFE ON THE LINE TRYING
TO SAVE LAUREN AND HE WAS
WHISKED OFF TO THE HOSPITAL. SHE
PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED
LARRY AND TOLD HIM ABOUT HIS SON
, AND THAT’S HOW HE WAS ABLE TO
BE SO CLOSE TO THAT HE JOINED
THE PARADE OF ESCORT POLICE CARS
GOING TO SINAI, GREECE, AND HE
GAVE ALL THE CREDIT IN THE
WORLD. TWO OFFICERS. HUTCHINS
HIS SON’S PARTNER FOR HER
HEROISM, NOT ONLY IN TRYING TO
SAVE HIS LIFE, BUT ALSO HAVING
THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO CALL
HIM. REPORTING LIVE ON DETROIT’S
WEST SIDE. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
BROADWAY. APPRECIATE IT. WE
HEARD CHIEF WHITE SAY IT THAT
THERE ARE NO WORDS JUST NOTHING
HE CAN SAY TO OFFER TO OFFICER
COURTS, WIFE OR CHILDREN TO TAKE
THEIR PAIN AWAY. BUT THERE ARE
PEOPLE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING
PRACTICAL HELP TO FAMILIES OF
FALLEN OFFICERS ARE MEGAN WOODS
IS LIVE WITH A LOOK AT THE
SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT’S MOBILIZING
AROUND THE COURTS FAMILY, MEGAN.
THIS SHOOTING IS VERY PERSONAL
FOR DETROIT POLICE OFFICERS, BUT
YET THERE ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN
15 OF THEM, WHO VOLUNTEERED TO
TAKE THE TRAINING. THEY SET
ASIDE THEIR PAYING FOR MOMENTS
LIKE THIS TO BE THERE FOR
WHATEVER OFFICER COURTS WIFE AND
CHILDREN NEED, BUT ALSO WHATEVER
THEIR COLLEAGUES NEED.
CAMARADERIE THIS BUILDING,
EVERYONE IS FEELING THE LOSS.
IT’S TIMES LIKE THIS, WHERE
DETROIT PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION
STEPS UP. PATTY AKULA IS THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SAYS THEY
HAVE TRAINED POLICE OFFICERS WHO
ARE OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT. ALL
OF THE OFFICERS FEEL IT
PERSONALLY. AND THE 17 18
OFFICERS. LAST NIGHT, THEY WERE
WORKING UNTIL 1 30 WITH THE
FAMILY WITH OTHER OFFICERS WHO
WERE VERY, VERY DISTURBED AND
TROUBLED BY ALL OF THIS. THEN
THERE IS THE CRITICAL AND FALLEN
OFFICER FUND WHERE THE
FOUNDATION WILL PAY UP TO $500
OF THE NEXT MONTH’S MORTGAGE,
AND THEY’LL HELP WITH OTHER
EXPENSES AND WE WILL HELP WITH
THE RE PASSED AND THE FUNERAL
EXPENSES AND OTHER THINGS THAT
MAY COME UP UNEXPECTEDLY FOR THE
FAMILY FOUNDATION IS HONORING
HIS LIFE BY SUPPORTING HIS FACE.
ONLY THEY WILL ALSO EVENT TO ADD
HIS PLAQUE TO THIS WALL OF
FALLEN OFFICERS WHERE EVERYONE
CAN SEE IT AT PUBLIC SAFETY
HEADQUARTERS. WE WANT TO ALWAYS
HONOR THE FAMILY FOR THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO THIS CITY AND TO
THE STATE. AND LOSING THEIR
LOVED ONE. THE FOUNDATION SAYS.
THERE’S WAYS YOU CAN HELP TO.
YOU CAN WRITE A CHECK TO DETROIT
PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION AND IN
THE MEMO LINE, YOU CAN JUST PUT
OFFICER COURTS IN THERE. YOU CAN
ALSO DONATE ONLINE AND THE
FOUNDATION IS SAYING THEY’RE
ALREADY SEEN AN OUTPOURING OF
SUPPORT WILL HAVE THAT LINKED TO
DONATE ON CLICKONDETROIT’S DOT
COM KIMBERLY BACK TO YOU ALL
RIGHT, MEGAN. WELL, HERE’S
ANOTHER WAY. YOU CAN HELP A GO
FUND ME HAS BEEN SET UP TO HELP
COURTS, HIS FAMILY WITH BILLS
AND OTHER EXPENSES. WE’VE POSTED
A LINK TO THAT ON
CLICKONDETROIT.COM AND YOU CAN
ALSO READ A STATEMENT FROM
CHRISTINE COURTS ABOUT HER LATE
HUSBAND. WHO SHE DESCRIBES AS A
LOVING FAMILY MAN WHO WAS
WONDERFUL WITH THEIR TWO
CHILDREN. WE ALSO HAVE AN
ARTICLE RECAPPING ALL THE NEW
INFORMATION GIVEN TODAY BY CHIEF
WHITE IN HIS AFTERNOON NEWS
CONFERENCE. STATE UNIVERSITY IS
SET TO TAKE OVER THE WAYNE
COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE
ARE KAREN DREW HAS DONE SEVERAL
STORIES ON THE PROBLEMS THAT THE
WAYNE COUNTY MORGUE TODAY. THE
WAYNE COUNTY COMMISSION
UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AN
AGREEMENT. TO PARTNER IN THE
OPERATION OF THE COUNTY’S OFFICE
OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINER. THE
AGREEMENT ANTICIPATES TRANSFER
OF THE OVERSIGHT OF THE OFFICE
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN,
WAYNE STATE ON OCTOBER 1ST. SO
MANY FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO FIND
BABY FORMULA, AND NOW SOME ARE
BEING RIPPED OFF ONLINE BY
SCAMMERS TONIGHT, CONSUMER
INVESTIGATOR HANK WINCHESTER
SHOWS YOU HOW THIS PLAYED OUT
AND HELP ME HANK SCAM ALERT. THE
SEARCH FOR BABY FORMULA. IT’S
STILL A STRUGGLE FOR MANY STORES
, LIMITING HOW MUCH YOU CAN BUY
. SOME STORE SHELVES REMAIN
EMPTY. NOW ADD ON TOP OF ALL OF
THAT SCAMMERS NOW MAKING THEIR
MOVE. TRYING TO GET YOUR MONEY.
JUSTIN PAWLAK AND HIS WIFE,
AMANDA STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT
HAPPENED TO THEM. MY HEART
DROPPED AND I WAS LIKE WE JUST
LOST THE MONEY. LIKE MANY
FAMILIES RIGHT NOW, THEY WERE IN
DESPERATE SEARCH OF BABY FORMULA
SINCE THE CLOSURE OF THE ABBOT
PLANT IN WESTERN MICHIGAN, IT’S
BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR FAMILIES
ALL OVER METRO DETROIT AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE’RE VERY
FORTUNATE. WE HAVE FRIENDS AND
ARE CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA ALL OVER
THE PLACE CANADA THAT ARE
LOOKING FOR US, AND IT’S JUST
BEEN IT’S BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
JUSTIN AND HIS FAMILY PUT OUT
THE PLEA FOR HELP AND FOR
FORMULA ON FACEBOOK AND GOT A
RESPONSE FROM THIS PERSON WHO
WAS OUT OF STATE JUST PAY FOR
THE SHIPPING FEES. AND THE
FORMULA WILL GET TO YOU. JUST A
RANDOM PERSON. I CHECKED OUT
THEIR PROFILE REALLY QUICKLY.
EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL, BUT
QUICKLY, JUSTIN REALIZED THIS
WAS NOTHING MORE THAN AN
ELABORATE FORMULA SCAM. I
COULDN’T SEND MESSAGES. THEIR
POST WAS REMOVED OFF OF MY MOM’S
POST. UM AND I COULDN’T ASK FOR
A TRACKING NUMBER. THAT’S WHAT I
WAS LOOKING FOR. THEY WERE GOING
TO SEND IT OUT THAT DAY AND
NOTHING GOOD NEWS IN THE SEARCH
FOR FORMULA IS THAT NEW PRODUCTS
SHOULD BE MAKING ITS WAY INTO
STORE SHELVES BY MID JULY. THE
BAD NEWS IS THAT SCAMS LIKE THIS
ONE THERE ON THE RISE, WHICH IS
WHY YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF
NOW, MORE THAN EVER MAKE SURE
YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU’RE
BUYING THE PRODUCT FROM TRY TO
AVOID BUYING IT FROM A STRANGER
ONLINE. IN DOUBLE CHECK
EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU SEND ANY
MONEY. AGAIN WE’RE TOLD SOME OF
THAT NEW BABY FORMULA SHOULD BE
MAKING ITS WAY ONTO STORE
SHELVES BY MID JULY, BUT IT IS
UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT WHEN
THINGS IN THE BABY FORMULA WORLD
WILL FINALLY GET BACK TO NORMAL.
WE’RE HERE IN DETROIT. HANK
WINCHESTER. HELP ME HANK. BACK
TO YOU. OKAY, HANK, MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE TRANSITION TO WORKING
FROM HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC.
OF COURSE. WELL, NOW, A NEW
STUDY SHOWS HOW MUCH THEY’RE
SAVING. SO THE WEBSITE PR
PIONEER SURVEYED MORE THAN 3200
PEOPLE WHO WORK FROM HOME. THE
SURVEY FOUND. MICHIGAN EMPLOYEES
ARE COLLECTIVELY SAVING $149
MILLION PER MONTH. THAT’S ABOUT
$126 PER PERSON. NATIONALLY THE
AVERAGE WAS 2 81 PER MONTH. THE
COMPANY SAYS TWO THIRDS OF WORK
FROM HOME EMPLOYEES PREFER