GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Police are keeping a closer eye on a neighborhood after three were found dead in the street just hours apart on Monday.
Grand Rapids Police responded to the Burton Heights neighborhood after several people called 911 to report a man and a woman bloodied in the street in two separate areas just before noon.
One of the victims was found in the area of Melville Street SE and Horton Avenue SE, while the other was found near Melville Street Southeast & Francis Avenue Southeast.
Police have not announced their cause of death.
Hours later, a man was shot and killed in the 2000 block of Horton Avenue Southeast. Police said they can't yet say with certainty if this shooting death is connected to the two people found dead in the same neighborhood.
Monday evening, a black Jeep was found about three miles from the crime scene, which police called a "vehicle of interest." Authorities gathered evidence from the car and towed it away.
After a gruesome day just steps from their front doors, neighbors are asking for more peace of mind. Police previously installed trailer cameras in the neighborhood, but they were removed earlier this year. Residents hoped Monday the cameras that once watched over their streets would return.
"It is surprising because now we're scared because it's right in front of our houses," said two women who wanted to remain anonymous. They live near the scene where the man was shot and killed Monday afternoon. "She's been living in her house for 27 years and nothing like this has ever happened."
The two women 13 ON YOUR SIDE talked to said they called 911 after hearing six shots around 3 p.m.
"She's scared," they added. "She wants to leave this neighborhood now. I'm the same way."
At the scene Monday, Chief Eric Winstrom said putting cameras in the area was a possibility. By the next day, they were back.
When the cameras debuted in late 2022, Winstrom said their presence has been very valuable to help deter crime.
They're a way for police to keep an eye on the community without having to be around.
"We had one incident of gunfire nearby, put that trailer up, and we didn't have anything happen afterward," said Winstrom in December.
The mobile trailers have solar panels to stay powered, and they have certain capabilities such as recording video and remote access and operation.
They aren't just used in areas with high crime rates, either. Winstrom says they can also be used for large events, such as marathons, concerts or parades.
"We don't have an officer or personnel dedicated to watching a live video feed in the city right now, however, if there's an incident where we need that capability then we can dedicate an officer to do so," said Winstrom.
Getting more cameras, the chief says, was driven by requests from the community last year.
"Once other communities heard we had those and businesses downtown say, 'Hey we're having an event this weekend. Can we get the mobile camera trailer?' That was really the push for getting more because we realized there were three different places asking for them so now we're able to accommodate more people."
These trailers cost tens of thousands of dollars each. But it's worth it to Winstrom if they'll cause criminals to think twice, he says.
"If you commit a crime you know you're going to be doing it on tape," he said. "I think a lot of criminals will pick a more convenient place to do something illegal."
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