Sterling Heights alligator • Northern lights possible in Michigan • Three teens shot after fight in Detroit

FRIDAY NEWS HIT – According to Detroit police, three teenagers were returning from a fight in a park on Thursday evening when someone shot them.

The victims — 15, 16 and 17 — were involved in a fight in a park near Puritan and Wisconsin before 8:15 p.m. This fight wasn't about guns, but someone had a gun and they chased the victims after it.

Police said the victims were traveling on the Puritan when someone in a silver sedan started shooting at them.

All three victims were taken to a hospital and are expected to survive.

Detroit Police Chief James White said he believes the case will be solved and does not believe there is any danger to others.

“We are confident that no one else in our community is at risk and we are insulated from this fight,” he said.

Northern Lights Opportunities in Michigan

The entire state could catch the Northern Lights this weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a G-3 strong geomagnetic storm warning for this weekend. According to NOAA, the aurora may be visible deep into Pennsylvania from Iowa to Oregon.

As of Friday morning, the Northern Lights line of sight for Friday night does not include any part of Michigan. However, Saturday night's visibility spans the entire state, with the best chance of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights being in the Upper Peninsula.

It's expected to be clear on Saturday, although the weather forecast currently suggests there will be rain at the end of the UP, which could make it difficult to see the lights.

This chance to see the Northern Lights comes after the SPWC discovered two solar flares that triggered coronal mass ejections. The second, discovered Thursday, was believed to be the strongest solar flare in about seven years. Flares can lead to geomagnetic storms that result in visible northern lights.

Sterling Heights woman finds alligator outside home

This is not something you should see in Michigan…

A Sterling Heights woman went outside to find an alligator in the driveway of her home near Ryan and M-59 Thursday morning.

“Everyone says, 'There's an alligator under your car,' and I'm like, seriously?” Marysoul Mousahurawi said. “I was in disbelief, like in Michigan?”

At first the police showed up, were confused and asked if they were expected to just grab the animal's tail. Backup was then called from the Reptarium Zoo in Utica to deal with the animal, which was likely someone's pet.

It's not clear whether the alligator was abandoned or escaped from its home, but police are now searching for its owner since owning an alligator is illegal in the city.

The alligator is safe at the zoo.

Video shows fatal accident involving police

Surveillance camera video shows how fast police in Warren were driving when they struck a Dodge Durango, killing two men.

Cedric Hayden Jr., 34, and Dejuan Pettis, 33, were turning from Schoenherr Road onto Prospect Avenue early Monday when they were struck by a Warren police vehicle. The force of the impact pushed the Durango onto its side, killing the best friends. The two officers in the police vehicle were injured.

“I witnessed this accident and it really hurt me to see it,” said a witness whose surveillance camera recorded the accident. “When I first looked at it to see how fast the car was going.”

Another witness said he heard what sounded like an explosion.

The video shows that the police rushed towards Schönherr without their lights on.

“That’s the core problem,” said the person whose camera captured the video. “If he had seen the lights he would never have turned around to face the police. So they appear to have been going at least 80, 90 miles per hour.”

The families are now suing.

Michigan Election Guide

A lot has happened in the four years since Michigan voters went to the polls to elect a president. As the Covid pandemic faded from public consciousness, economic uncertainty over inflation and reproductive rights took over.

In Michigan, electric vehicles and labor unrest led to a massive strike by auto workers as concerns about political violence escalated. Many of these issues will feature in the talking points of this year's biggest races.

When they vote in November, people will find some similar names on their ballot — but also some new ones. But what hasn't changed in the political landscape in this 2024 election is the importance that battleground states like Michigan will play – both for the president and for Congress.

Michigan's 13 electoral votes are at stake in a tight race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, a vacant U.S. Senate seat could affect the balance of power in the chamber, while a rematch in a hotly contested Detroit-area district could affect control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Prepare for the election with our election guide.

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Daily forecast

Aside from the possibility of rain on Sunday, it will be a beautiful fall weekend.

What else do we see?

1. Detroit police said they seized fentanyl, cocaine and two firearms during a major drug raid in the 3300 block of E. Willis Street earlier this week.
2. A Detroit bus driver convicted of killing a second pedestrian was sentenced to prison Thursday. Geraldine Johnson will serve the first six months of her sentence in prison following the 2023 accident that killed Janice Bauer.
3. Sidetrack Bookshop, a store that has quickly become a popular gathering place for readers, is expanding this fall.
4. A 13-year-old girl accused of killing her sister in Taylor could be tried as an adult if convicted. The teenager will be charged as a juvenile with an adult classification following the fatal stabbing – giving the judge the flexibility to sentence her as a juvenile or an adult.
5. I'm looking forward to watching the Tigers in the American League Divisional Series. You can get tickets here.

Port strike suspended until January 15th

After approximately 45,000 longshoremen at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts went on strike, which could have led to shortages and higher prices for consumers if it continued, an agreement was reached to suspend the strike.

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) has suspended its three-day strike until January 15 to allow time to negotiate a new contract, according to the Associated Press.

The union and the US Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, said in a joint statement that they had reached a tentative agreement on wages.

The ILA went on strike early Tuesday after its contract expired in a dispute over pay and the automation of tasks at 36 ports from Maine to Texas. According to the Associated Press, this happened at the height of the holiday season at the ports, which handle about half of the cargo from ships sailing in and out of the United States.