Detroit block party shooting: One dead, nine injured in attack on community event

One person has been shot dead and nine others injured after a shooting at a street party held on a basketball court in the US city of Detroit on Saturday 20 June.

Locals heard shots being fired at around 8.45pm local time, at which point up to 400 people were attending the neighbourhood block party.

Police said the man who died was aged 20 and has not been publicly named as relatives are yet to be informed.

A 46-year-old man remains in critical condition, while five other men and three women were seriously injured. The victims ranged in age from 21 to 46, Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt told the Detroit Free Press.

Dolunt said it was a miracle no children were injured, as many were attending the party. "Through the grace of God no children were shot," he confirmed.

He added that one person at the party may have been deliberately targeted.

"I think one individual was the target, the others just happened to be there," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

A local journalist covering the attack, Priya Mann, told Sky News: "It is an active scene with the police searching the basketball court and surrounding area for any evidence of the shooter.

"It was a neighbourhood community event where people were trying to provide their children with something to do, includingbasketball, but it ended in gunfire."

Also on 20 June, an 18-month-old baby and a 10-year-old boy were injured after a shooter opened fire during a party in Philadelphia.

Five adults were also hurt during the attack, which Philadelphia Police Lieutenant John Walker called "just a terrible situation".

"It appears that everybody was here for the picnic and everybody just ran ... it looks like they randomly fired down the street and hit whoever was in their way," he told NBC affiliate WCAU.