KENT COUNTY, Mich. – A family who lives on Farmsview Court in Kentwood decorated their house for their daughter’s graduation from East Kentwood High School. It’s now covered in tape as police treat the area as a crime scene after five people were shot at the party Sunday, July 14.
Phil Martin says they spent the day decorating so their graduate could enjoy a night with nearly 50 of her friends before they all head off for college in the fall.
About three hours into the party, at around 11 p.m., Martin said his daughter received a message that a group of people were on their way and that they were ready to start trouble.
He said his daughter did not know anyone in the group, but that when they arrived, she told them to leave. That’s when he said one of them pushed his daughter out of the way and entered into the backyard. His daughter immediately called 911.
Martin said he was asleep upstairs while his wife supervised the party. Within minutes of the uninvited guests’ arrival, he said he was awakened by an altercation outside.
“You could just tell the screaming wasn’t right,” Martin said. “Before I could even get down there, you could hear shots fired.”
Relieved to see his daughter inside the home and unharmed, Martin said he ran outside to bring her friends into the home.
Five people were shot, one of them in the mouth. As of Monday morning, one of the victims was listed in critical condition. The names of the people who were shot have not been released.
Chief Tom Hillen, with the Kentwood Police Department, said there are no named suspects.
“It’s too early to jump to any conclusions. I would say more than likely people probably knew each other, just because it was a party,” he said.
Hillen said he expects all of the victims to recover.
“It’s an awful thing to have happen on their graduation party,” Martin said. “I mean, they had such a good time at East Kentwood and now this happened. It’s a lousy thing to remember for graduation.”
