Dearborn police investigate shooting at Fairlane Town Center mall

Dearborn police were investigating a shooting at Fairlane Town Center on Friday afternoon, July 3, after gunfire sent shoppers running from the mall near Evergreen Road and Michigan Avenue. Officers described the case as an active and ongoing investigation and told residents and visitors to stay away while they secured the scene.

The Dearborn Police Department said little else had been released as officers worked inside and around the mall. WDIV ClickOnDetroit reported the scene was near Evergreen Road and Michigan Avenue at about 2 p.m., while MLive said few details were immediately available. Police asked the public to avoid the area as they worked through the response.

Witnesses described a chaotic moment inside the mall. Weston Fantroy told WDIV ClickOnDetroit that he heard four or five gunshots while shopping for a birthday gift for his daughter and ran outside in fear. FOX 2 Detroit later reported that officials confirmed three people were shot at the scene, with one person dead and two others injured. Police had not publicly detailed the condition of any victims or identified a suspect in the initial response.

Fairlane Town Center has drawn police before. On March 15, 2024, Dearborn police said a 25-year-old Canton Township resident was injured in a shooting there, and a suspect was arrested. Police also investigated another shooting incident inside the mall in 2024, adding to the scrutiny around one of metro Detroit’s busiest retail spaces.

The latest shooting fits a pattern seen across the country, where ordinary public spaces such as malls, food courts and shopping corridors can turn into emergency scenes in moments. In Dearborn, officers remained on site Friday afternoon as they worked to piece together what happened inside Fairlane Town Center and who was involved.