DNA links suspected Detroit cop shooter to November murder of Wayne State University officer, chief says
Raymond Durham was taken into custody Wednesday night.
— -- A DNA match has linked a man accused of shooting and injuring two Detroit police officers this week to the November murder of a university officer, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said today.
The suspect, Raymond Durham, was taken into custody Wednesday night after he allegedly "aggressively" opened fire on two officers, "unprovoked," Craig said Thursday.
After allegedly shooting the two officers, the suspect "continued to make an attempt to engage them as they were trying to gain some concealment and cover," Craig said.
The suspect then fled a few blocks away, Craig said. As other officers approached him there, "he, in a second attempt, tried to attack these officers. Fortunately, he was taken into custody without incident,” Craig said.
The officers shot and injured Wednesday night were part of a "stepped-up police presence in the area" since the fatal shooting in November of Wayne State University Sgt. Collin Rose in that neighborhood, according to The Associated Press.
Durham is now "considered a prime suspect in the murder" of Rose, as well as the suspect in the attempted murders of the two Detroit officers, Craig said at a news conference today.
Craig said police learned Thursday evening of the positive DNA match, adding, "because this investigation is continuing I will not go into any details."
Craig called the DNA match just "one component" of the investigation.
"This is a first step," Craig said. "This does not signify closure."
The two officers injured this week are in nonlife-threatening condition, police said Thursday. One is a 20-year veteran of the police force, and his partner is a four-year veteran, police said. One of the officers was wearing body armor that stopped two bullets toward his chest, police said. He suffered a gunshot wound to the ankle. The other officer was shot in the neck, Craig said.
The suspect was also wounded in the exchange of fire with the two officers. His injury is also not life threatening, police said.
Craig said today that the case from this week's shooting will be reviewed as early as today at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. The Rose case has not yet gone to prosecutor's office, he said.
Durham’s family has said he has some mental health problems, but they don’t believe he’s guilty, according to local ABC affiliate WXYZ.