A deadly incident took place at the annual Michigan State Fair, which was held over the Labor Day weekend at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
The Michigan State Fair had its debut in 1849 and was attended by those looking to have fun and relax. Promotion of agriculture and livestock serves as a primary interest during the fair, with the main attractions being the circus and a carnival. The fair also features many hands-on and family-bonding activities along with food, live entertainment, contests, and competitions. Those activities were interrupted on Saturday, August 31st, 2024, when a shooting took place in the parking lot outside of the fair, leaving one 14-year-old dead and another one injured.
Police say that two groups of teens had disputes during the night, which then became physical around 6 p.m. It was reported that one individual pulled out a gun and started shooting, prompting law enforcement agencies in the area to act quickly.
Recordings showed that the shooter escaped while crowds of people fled the scene.
In an article published in Fox 2 Detroit by Jessica Dupnack and Jack Nissel on September 3rd, Novi Police Commander Jason Meier gave updates about trying to identify the shooter.
“Our investigative teams are making great progress, but we still do not have a suspect identified yet,” Meier said.
Immediately after the incident, the two injured teens were escorted to the hospital, where one was in stable condition and the other was pronounced dead. The victim was identified as Darean Davis, a sophomore at University High School in Ferndale.
In an article published by CBS News Detroit by Joseph Buczek on September 4th, Davis’s mom, Verteya Gilbert, talked about her loss and her concern that so much information about the shooting was still unknown.
“We want somebody to speak up because there were a lot of people there, and from my understanding, people were recording. Somebody knows something,” said Gilbert. “It’s not bringing my son back, but it will bring me just a little bit of comfort.”
Gilbert explained her family’s hope that justice will be served. In the meantime, police are on the lookout for who killed her son.
“Right now, my family is looking for justice for Daeran,” said Gilbert. “If you know who did it, just speak up. Tell us something. We need closure.”
The State Fair continued for the two days following the shooting because law enforcement thought this was a controlled shooting outside of the State Fair. Precautions at the fair were enforced to help decrease worries following the incident and to ensure the safety of others.
The fair’s overall hours following the shooting were decreased. Entry ended at 6 p.m. and fairgrounds were shut at 7 p.m. Anyone under the age of 18 was required to be accompanied by an adult in order to enter the fair. After the shooting, any purchased tickets for the weekend were allowed to be refunded or resold.
