OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — One teenager was shot dead after several shots were fired at a party being held at a Kalamazoo County motel.
The Kalamazoo Sheriff's Department said shortly after midnight Saturday morning, shots were fired at the Red Roof Inn on West Michigan Avenue & 11th Street in Oshtemo Township. An 18-year-old man, who deputies identified as Deshontae Dewayne Ellis from Kalamazoo, was killed.
Deputies said a fight broke out at the party between some girls before it spilled out into the parking lot of the motel. It then escalated and Ellis was shot inside a car in the lot.
The other party goers scattered after the gunfire stopped.
Deputies said said many of the party goers were under-aged.
A witness told FOX 17 he drove a group of seven people to the Red Roof for the party Friday night. He was later asked by three of them to be taken back to the motel again Saturday morning to pick up speakers that'd been left behind. Upon arrival, police allegedly stopped the vehicle with guns drawn and arrested a passenger, the witness said.
The other two passengers took off running across US-131. Police said they could not confirm any details when asked Saturday afternoon.
Investigators are urging any of the attendees to come forward with information that could be useful in locating the suspect behind the shooting.
