(WXYZ) — It's Tuesday afternoon and the streets of Melvindale are busy says speeding is a huge concern for the community they go fast and they will go right in front of you," Smith said "And we got a lot of kids here," Smith said That's why the Melvindale Police Department is rolling out extra measures including a zero-tolerance chase policy and adding five new high-performance patrol vehicles just in time for the summer when speeding statistically gets worse Mohamed Hacham talks about speeding drivers in the city "We got two schools down the street and the crossing lady almost gets hit every single day," Melvindale Police Cpl around 200 speeding tickets have been issued by the department Since Oakwood Boulevard is where drivers often speed "It gives you the feet away and the exact speed the vehicle is going at and that little dot is pin-pointed at each vehicle.. and we just got 44 mph on a 30," Hacham said It's always 80% of the people that live in the city But she does have a clean driving record and she just picked up her daughter from the dentist we are not looking to give everybody a ticket "I was watching this group of kids and he pulled out of the parking lot and he picked up some speed And he was like I'm going home because my grandma fell So I followed him home and so just in case if his grandma fell and she needed help Turned out it was a lie and his dad was the one who actually told me to give him a ticket," Hacham said Web extra: We ride along with Melvindale Police Cpl But an 18-year-old's story left Hacham and me shocked after his modified vehicle caught Hacham's attention showed me some of the many speeding tickets he has been slapped with over a few months "Do you ever think what your parents would go through if something happened to you Does that not prevent you from speeding?" I asked Salam I take them under my wing and I tell them like an older brother some knowledge and sense into them he is here right now; what can you tell him that speeding is dangerous?" I asked "That I never really want to see him end up on the news with his car wrapped around a tree or wrapped around something and him not being with us," Hacham said Hacham says he will be checking in with Salam Hacham has a message for drivers in the city and don't run away from us because we will chase you," Hacham said Melvindale Police Chief Robert Kennaley is the type of community leader who still gets up and handles a barking dog report on his own Now he’s the one who needs help, and his department – still reeling after an officer died in the line of duty last year and with another facing scrutiny for use of force – is rallying around him Kennaley got an official diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma the police chief said while leaving a doctor’s appointment with his wife on Friday and surgery isn’t an ideal option given the location He will undergo radiation and chemotherapy and has already undergone significant preparation It’s believed they caught the cancer somewhat early Kennaley gathered his staff about two weeks ago to share the news. This week, one of them started a GoFundMe fundraiser on the chief’s behalf “They surprised me,” the chief said a bit light-heartedly before adding: “They didn’t ask for permission they’re asking for forgiveness this time and I can’t argue with them.” Kennaley is more than just a chief who sits behind a desk who was fatally shot last summer while conducting a stop Hacham said Kennaley has been the right person to lead the department in the wake of that loss and the “backbone to everything.” Suspect in death of Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said faces murder charge Hacham said there’s a bad apple in every profession he's a role model and he's a pillar,” he said Hacham told his fellow officers it is time for them to step up for their boss He said their health insurance is not good The chief said he has high deductible plan that requires $9,000 out-of-pocket and then he’ll need to cover anything insurance doesn’t the GoFundMe had raised nearly $15,000 dollars The chief’s voice wavered with emotion as he spoke of the response Navy for 11 years and he’s been a police officer since 2006 He noted that police officers are the ones who run towards a gun He stayed awake for four and a half days to arrest the suspect in his officer’s death He’s been working hard to support the Said family and help them get federal grant support and for one of us to be down and need support He must have done something right to have the community rally around him though He wanted that family atmosphere in his department Of the lieutenant under scrutiny for use of force “You might have the one officer that puts the cloud over the department Michigan State Police are investigating and Furman is on paid administrative leave adding there is a union to contend with along with due process It’s been undoubtedly a tough year for the small department Kennaley became chief in March 2024 and within the first four months had multiple train derailments The new year is not starting out easy either but his staff has already been tremendously supportive the agency’s new ordinance officer and brother of slain officer Said Ahmed Said was slated to interview for the police academy last summer but his brother was killed the day before the planned conversation He and the chief hope to get him started in the academy this summer Ahmed Said said the chief has been continuously there for his family since his brother’s death and Lorie Kennaley has even visited with his mom and offered her support The chief is a father figure to the whole office Ahmed Said asked the community to give what they can “You can barely find people like him,” he said but was stopping back to the police station Friday “I'm going to keep going until I can't anymore,” he said “I'm going to work until my body says I can't work anymore (WXYZ) — Alica Cook was sitting in a parked car when Melvindale’s most polarizing police officer spotted her The mother of two was sitting in a white SUV outside a school waiting to drop off her 11-year-old at cheerleading practice “I’ve never been treated like that — ever,” Cook said in an interview this month I never experienced what I experienced with him," she said Furman was working a traffic enforcement detail when he came upon the parked vehicle RELATED: Controversial Melvindale Lt. fends off claim of excessive force involving Taser Cook would tell the lieutenant that she’d just received news about a friend’s health while she waited outside the school “I had just got bad news saying that the person that.. the (driver who owned the car) just had heart surgery,” she said Cook's mother can be heard placing a call to her daughter who answers the phone using the vehicle's Bluetooth Furman would ask to see the woman’s driver’s license Cook can be heard asking him for “one second.” “You pulled me over inside of a school parking lot!” what could have been a routine traffic stop quickly escalated “If I could have processed my thought in the moment and just turned the car off maybe it wouldn’t have escalated as bad," she said Furman appears to reach into the vehicle to turn the car off with both Furman and Cook’s tempers flaring Shrieks from Cook and her daughters can be heard as the tasing continues Furman would later say he feared for his safety “You look at me: I got two children in the car 7 News Detroit shared the entire video of the stop with two experts in policing: retired Detroit Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt along with Travis Norton a retired lieutenant who consults with departments on use of force Both agreed that Cook was uncooperative — like when she refused to provide her license But they also found fault in Furman’s inability to deescalate the stop and both were troubled when he tased Cook in front of her own children kids don’t like the police or they don’t trust them Norton said use of the Taser was “unreasonable in the circumstances (Furman) was dealing with.” Cook would be hit with a civil infraction and four misdemeanors interfering with a police officer and driving on a suspended license the city attorney’s office dismissed everything I’m looking at that going: 'This doesn’t look good,'” Dolunt said “Because you don’t really want that getting out it’s out now — it looks poorly on the department and the officers.” But the department never investigated Furman’s use of force from this day according to Melvindale Deputy Chief Nicholas Martinez After 7 News Detroit obtained the body camera video through the Freedom of Information Act the department forwarded a copy to Wayne County’s prosecutor for review That office is currently reviewing a warrant for possible criminal charges against Furman related to another tasing 7 News revealed from July. texts and emails seeking comment on the traffic stop involving Alica Cook He has been on administrative leave since the summer while his July tasing was under investigation he previously told 7 News Detroit that he was seeking counseling over the shooting death of Officer Mohamed Said last year “No one should ever have to encounter dealing with someone that feel like their authority is more important than a person’s humanity.” Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466 Lincoln Park — Slain Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said's interaction with the man accused of killing him last month began when the man flicked a cigarette to the ground outside a car wash and Said ordered him to pick it up according to a witness and Said's body camera footage July 21 in Melvindale with his friend Rebacca Davis when Said pulled his squad car up to the car wash Lopez and Said were by "aggressively crossing the street," Davis said while testifying during a preliminary exam Monday in Lincoln Park's 25th District Court “He hopped out of his car and started yelling at us,” Davis testified about Said A scuffle eventually ensued after Said ordered Lopez to pick up the cigarette Lopez apologized and picked up the cigarette but after Said asked for identification and told Lopez to put his hands up when he kept reaching into his pants District Court Judge Gregory Clifton said there was enough evidence to send Lopez to stand trial in circuit court Mohamed Said was in the process of conducting questioning of the individual Lopez decided to flee from the scene," Clifton said is charged with murder of a police officer and nearly a dozen drugs and weapons charges in connection with Said's death As prosecutors played Said’s body camera footage in the courtroom Monday Said’s family broke down in the courtroom gallery Wearing his brother’s Melvindale Police hat Ahmed Said said it was tough to watch the footage showing his brother’s last moments He had not seen it before Monday’s hearing “He was trying to help him because he thought he's a homeless guy and then he ended up killing him,” Ahmed Said said So that's one of the things he always does declined to argue against the bindover of the charges The body cam footage showed in court Monday showed Said chastising Lopez for flicking the cigarette to the ground “We don’t do that s--- in Melvindale,” Said said Lopez apologized and picked up the cigarette from the ground Said asked him if he had any weapons and Lopez said he did not Said asked Lopez and Davis for their IDs and when Lopez reached into his pants Said ordered him multiple times to “quit reaching.” Said ordered him to put his hands up and Lopez appeared to be complying for a moment before he took off running Said followed him through bushes and backyards and fired his Taser at Lopez Assistant Prosecutor Rana Hadied said Said was shot in the head Brittany Ellsworth said when she interviewed Lopez after his arrest Lopez told her he shot Said because he did not want to go back to jail “He said he intentionally meant to shoot him because he did not want to go back to jail,” Ellsworth said Ellsworth let him use her phone to call his daughter and Lopez again allegedly admitted to killing Said Lopez spent most of the last 12 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections about a month before he allegedly shot and killed Said Said had been with the Melvindale Police Department for just over a year before his death Ahmed Said said he struggled not to react or yell when Lopez walked into the courtroom Clifton had previously warned people in the gallery that they would be kicked out if they were disruptive He said he needed to be there and to be strong for his family Ahmed Said said Michigan needs the death penalty The practice was banned in 1963 following a Michigan state constitutional amendment and would require a constitutional amendment to become law again Given that Lopez was in prison before and paroled early on in his sentence Ahmed Said said he should not get a chance to do the same this time “It's gonna get worse and worse if you don't have this law in Michigan,” Ahmed Said said they're gonna be scared to kill any officer or injure them.” Kyren Harris, 20, of Van Buren Township was arraigned Tuesday in the fatal shooting of Frederick Coleman Jr., of Detroit, and given a $1 million bond. Harris is the third defendant arraigned in this case. The other two, Taiwan Antonelli Cox Jr., 21, of Detroit, and Curtis Damon Harris, 18, of Ecorse, were arraigned in July. The three men were all arraigned on the charges of first-degree murder and felony firearm. At 9:50 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, officers responded to a report of a shooting near Outer Drive and Seaway. When they arrived, they found Coleman in the driver’s seat of his car with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The defendants allegedly fired guns into the 20-year-old’s car while he was stopped at the intersection. Cox and Harris were arrested and arraigned in July. Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Sara Powers joined WDIV as a digital content producer in Oct. 2024 and has been covering Metro Detroit news since 2021. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WDIV Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Create an account for more options or use this form to leave a Reflection now San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Photo/Video will be published upon admin review and approval (WXYZ) — A controversial Melvindale police lieutenant was accused in a civil lawsuit Tuesday of assault and battery and false arrest The allegations stem from a July 2024 traffic stop where the suspect recently saw most of the criminal charges against him dismissed Williams was stopped by Melvindale Lieutenant Matthew Furman on July 20th after driving around traffic barricades RELATED: Controversial Melvindale Lt. fends off claim of excessive force involving Taser After being asked multiple times to step out of his vehicle Williams would be repeatedly drive stunned by Furman and alleged that the lieutenant grabbed his hair while he was handcuffed and struck his head into the back of a fire truck providing false information to a police officer and others lodged against Williams were dismissed Williams entered a plea of guilty to driving without insurance and on a revoked license and was found responsible for driving with tinted windows another lieutenant on the scene that day and the Melvindale Police Department Last week, a 7 News Detroit investigation revealed the litany of allegations made against Furman throughout his career by citizens and fellow officers saying his proactive policing strategy makes him an easy target Furman’s actions during the Williams arrest have been the subject of a Michigan State Police investigation that remains ongoing Furman did not respond to a request for comment for this story (WXYZ) — It would be hard to find a police officer in Melvindale more polarizing than Lt Furman says he’s on the receiving end of so many allegations because he's "proactive" about seeking out and stopping crime “I’ve had a lot of people tell me I’m a great police officer,” Furman said recently he is under investigation by both Michigan State Police and Melvindale Police over a traffic stop that ended with a man being repeatedly drive-stunned with a Taser that the driver claims was abusive Furman says it’s just the latest false claim against him The slew of allegations against Furman throughout his career—that he adamantly denies—can be found in citizen complaints stemmed from Furman pulling over a mother driving her two small children Her vehicle had no car insurance and Furman ordered the car towed Instead of letting the woman wait for her ride Furman dragged her out of her car and onto the ground but the suspension was later overturned by the Public Safety Commission he would detain a robbery suspect who said Furman “slammed his head into the police car” while he was handcuffed A lieutenant reported that he “witnessed this,” and told the man he would “not sweep that incident under the rug.” that Furman went “way over the line” and split the man’s head open Furman told 7 News Detroit that he didn’t cause the injury; it was the people the man was stealing from He said the two officers were mistaken in what they reported “I’m not going to call them liars,” Furman said in January “But I’m going to say their perspective was probably off Because they were halfway down the block.” Furman says that an outside investigation cleared him of any misconduct and that he ultimately faced no discipline A former Melvindale police chief said he tried to reign Furman in and was terminated as a result Chad Hayse said Furman “engaged in repeated incidents of police brutality,” but that he was discouraged from holding him accountable because of the significant revenue generated when Furman towed vehicles claimed the chief retaliated against him because he favored a different towing company no longer used by the city Furman would be charged by Wayne County’s prosecutor accused of assault after Furman responded to a disorderly conduct complaint an intoxicated man would accuse Furman of throwing him down a flight of stairs The prosecutor would dismiss the assault charge in exchange for Furman pleading no contest to willful neglect of duty but an arbitrator overturned his termination saying the city offered no concrete evidence that Furman threw the man down the stairs Furman says he has withdrawn his no-contest plea Furman was part of a high-speed police chase he fled on foot before officers surrounded him As officers from multiple agencies tried to subdue him a Dearborn officer’s body cam caught Furman repeatedly stomping on the man’s leg as officers looked on Related Video: Extended bodycam video shows officers surround suspect following high-speed chase A Dearborn officer would report Furman’s force to Melvindale Police Furman told 7 News that the man was resisting officers as they tried to handcuff him so he used the stomps as a form of pain compliance you are going to get more complaints,” Furman said “But these aren’t just complaints coming from citizens,” said Channel 7’s Ross Jones complaints coming from other officers in your department While he’s a lighting rod within the department plenty of officers come to Furman’s defense a motor carrier officer with the department for the last eight years calls Furman a leader within the department protects our city that I live in and tries to get crime out of here,” Munassar said He said that recent attacks against officers—like the one that took the life of Officer Mohamed Said last July—influence how Furman does his job Furman was one of the first officers to come to Said’s side after he had been killed he is on administrative leave while seeking counseling over the incident clean up the city that I live in,” Pawelczyk said and trying to make that improvement of going back to good “Do you think he understands de-escalation?” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones he needs to learn how to put aside anger and just do his job.” Shkira said at least one lieutenant in the department says he won’t respond to crime scenes with Furman “When you have other officers say they don’t want to respond to calls with him,” Shkira said Furman’s temper is at the center of his latest controversy and partially why he’s been on administrative duty since the summer Furman would stop a vehicle being driven by Drakkar Williams for driving around traffic barricades Williams should not have been behind the wheel the vehicle he was driving had no valid insurance and A second officer would make the scene as Williams was told more than once to get out of the vehicle Williams’ girlfriend was in the passenger seat and her two small children—ages 2 and 5—are watching from the back “Step out of the vehicle now!” Furman can be heard saying “All you gotta do is comply,” Furman said in a January interview “When a police officer gives you a lawful order When a police officer asks for your information your name you don’t have a legal right to provide a fake name.” According to multiple current and retired police officers who reviewed the circumstances of the stop for 7 News Detroit Williams was arrestable for driving on a suspended license But what troubled every officer we showed the video to is what happened next Furman orders Williams to turn around and put his hands on the roof Furman’s partner can be seen holding Williams’ right hand and shoulder Within seconds of ordering Williams to place his hands behind his back Furman uses his Taser to drive-stun Williams repeatedly “He drive-stunned me from everywhere from my arms Furman would later say that he continued to use his Taser on Williams because “We don’t know if he’s got a weapon,” he said Furman turned his attention to his female passenger who he said posed a threat while seated in the vehicle Furman can be heard shouting at the woman and aggressively handcuffing her before forcefully taking her to the back of the squad car “Sit down and shut the f*** up!” Furman can be heard saying he can be heard arguing with Williams while he remains handcuffed on the ground determines Williams’ real name and runs him through his computer he approaches Williams while he’s handcuffed and sitting against a fire truck “You got a revoked license so you shouldn’t have been behind the wheel and now you got obstructing and resisting and everything else,” Furman tells him adding later: “You’re going to jail today mother f***er.” Williams said Furman grabbed him by the back of the hair and pulled his head into the firetruck Furman said Williams posed a risk when he stood up Drakkar Williams is facing a slew of charges providing false information to police and driving on a revoked license Michigan State Police and Melvindale Police are investigating Furman’s actions for possible criminal and internal charges it will be continued to be investigated and thoroughly done,” said Chief Robert Kennaley Furman said his actions that day were appropriate “My priority’s doing whatever I have to do to go home And if that means someone’s getting tasered Then I’m going home to my family and my friends,” Furman said Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466 DETROIT (WXYZ) — The man accused of shooting and killing a Melvindale police officer was in court Monday for a preliminary exam Police say 44-year-old Michael Lopez shot and killed Officer Mohamed Said on July 21 resemble him.’ Community honors officer Mohamed Said Lopez is facing the following charges in connection to Said's death: Wearing his brother's hat and a thin blue line hoodie Ahmed Said was in court with other family members for the hearing Monday "I’m here for my family and I’m being strong for my family," Said told 7 News Detroit The preliminary exam included testimony from two Michigan State Police officers and one Dearborn Police officer who responded to calls for an officer injured the day of the shooting The court also heard from a woman who was with Lopez when he first encountered police Judge Greg Clifton asked news media not to videotape witnesses for their safety but allowed audio recording of their testimony Davis said she and Lopez were leaving the Melrose Inn and Suites in Melvindale with several bags in hand they stopped to grab a water bottle out of one of the bags That's when she says Officer Said witnessed Lopez flick a cigarette butt on the ground and approached them asking for ID taking the witness stand to detail things they found in their investigation tying Lopez to the crime At one point prosecutors played body camera footage from Officer Said's body-worn camera The graphic video showed Officer Said approach Davis and Lopez and ask for identification After a few moments of looking through a bag Lopez jumps a fence and is shortly after tased by Said A struggle ensues and then there is the sound of a singular gunshot Family members of Said broke down in tears while the footage played in court Officers say they found Said with a gunshot wound to the head He was later arrested in southwest Detroit Brittany Ellsworth with Michigan State Police Special Investigation Section also spoke on the witness stand saying Lopez admitted to the crime and told police he threw out the gun "I just basically asked him to walk me through his day So he said that they were checking out of the Melrose Hotel he said and then he said he made contact with an officer," said Ellsworth as she summarized the interview "He admitted later on that he fled from him He intentionally meant to shoot him because he did not want to go back to jail and then he fled from the scene." Said's family is now pushing for Lopez to be punished even beyond the extent of Michigan law VIDEO: Brother of Mohamed Said speaks after suspect's preliminary hearing My message to all of you guys and the governor: we need this law in Michigan We lost three officers in a month," said Ahmed of his brother's alleged killer It’s going to get worse and worse if you don’t have this law in Michigan." Also in court Monday was Melvindale Mayor Nicole Shkira who described Said as a brother "He died a hero and I want the community to remember him as a hero and for us that are still here to carry on his legacy," said Shkira He wanted to be a police officer as a young child just to make a difference He was going to change the city of Melvindale one criminal at a time." VIDEO: Melvindale mayor speaks about slain officer Mohamed Said Lopez is due back in court on September 3rd Judge Clifton says that date is subject to change He is the brother of fallen Melvindale Police Cpl. Mohamed Said who was shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest The emotional pain he and his family are enduring from his death and many throughout and beyond the state of Michigan Nearly seven months have passed since Ahmed Said’s life spiraled from the grief he looked to the one place near and dear to his heart — the Melvindale Police Department The 23-year-old was recently hired by the MPD as an ordinance officer and that puts him on the path to following in the footsteps of his older brother “Me and my brother went to school together for law enforcement,” Said said I was planning on being next to him as a partner.” He later applied to work for Melvindale police so they could sponsor him to go to the academy Said’s death the previous day changed everything Although his hopes and dreams to work with his brother were shattered his desire to be part of the police department was not “I have to give my family at least a year to heal,” he said Video: Mich. Police Escort Slain Officer's Brother on 1st Day of School the door was opened for Said to become a part of the department — as an administrator He walked into a place that has memories of his brother at just about every turn that might seem like an overwhelming conflict of emotions He also had his eye on the job as an ordinance officer and on Jan “I worked for four months doing desk and administrative work,” he said “My brother was an ordinance officer before he went into the academy I wanted the job so I could walk in my brother’s footsteps.” is loved by the Melvindale Police Department and his brother, Ahmed Said who is now the department’s ordinance officer He is following in his brother’s footsteps “They are telling me to be careful and do my job,” Said said “I explained to them that I feel Moe all around me here and it makes me feel good I’m not at all fearful of becoming an officer My parents are very religious and believe whatever happens is God’s plan.” He added everyone at the department is always helping him out and making sure he is doing alright “They all have been here for me,” he said Police Chief Robert Kennaley could not be reached for comment Said can’t help but think of the things he and his brother had talked about doing together as he sees how revered his brother is at the department “Everything that belonged to him is still here,” he said I go visit him every day at the cemetery.” While there he says prayers and updates his brother on everything happening Typically he stays about a half an hour to an hour Being close to so many people who loved and admired Cpl Said has made his brother even more proud of him “I’m keeping the legacy alive,” Said said Visit www.thenewsherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Brother of Slain Mich. Police Officer Hired by Sibling's Department When Yousef Said walks into school in the fall to start fourth grade the 8-year-old will be embraced by the love and memory of his big brother at each turn Said is the youngest brother of fallen Melvindale police Cpl. Mohamed Said and plans were just announced that the Melvindale-Northern Allen Park School District intends to rename Strong Middle School, Mohammed Said Elementary School Yousef Said will be among the first to attend thousands mourned the shooting death of the officer Since his death, there have been a lot of changes in the young boy’s life and attending the school renamed after his brother is sure to have a major impact on him Ahmed Said said their baby brother is looking forward to making the transition to the new school Although it is occurring under the worst of circumstances he said his brother and family appreciate the honor in the gesture “He was surprised and is happy just thinking about it,” Ahmed Said said “We never thought of something like this happening It also means a lot to some officers who will be going there and giving out stickers on behalf of the department.” Mohamed Said was shot and killed while in the act of making an arrest Ahmed Said is working as the new police ordinance officer in the same building where his brother worked for nearly two years Ahmed Said said he takes comfort being surrounded by so many memories of his brother and people who loved him he said he is looking forward to the day his child attends Mohamed Said Elementary School Talk of renaming the school first surfaced for the Said family in December Family members gave the go ahead on the idea and assured the school district it would be something that would make them proud School Supt. Ryan Vranesich spoke briefly about renaming the school after the officer who was a Melvindale High School graduate and classroom technology,” Vranesich said “This building will now house our fourth- and fifth-grade students and teachers and we can’t wait to open this new space to our community.” Several people expressed their support for renaming the school after the Yemeni-American officer after a post was made about it on social media Residents expressed appreciation for the district for making such a move and one person called it “excellent news” for the Said family expressed how “incredibly proud” he is of the school district and called it an honor to be part of such a supportive and united community Moe,” Saleh’s post said calling him by his nickname Derick Hutchinson Michael Lopez, 44, of Southfield, first encountered Melvindale police Officer Mohamed Said at 12:34 p.m. July 21, 2024, at a car wash near the intersection of Oakwood Boulevard and Clarann Street in Melvindale, officials said. Said, 26, was called to the car wash and Lopez fled on foot, according to authorities. While Said chased Lopez, Lopez pulled out a handgun and shot Said, police said. A preliminary examination was held at 11:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, and he was bound over for trial on all 12 counts. He remains at the Wayne County Jail without bond. “Policing is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. “The alleged facts in this case will show that this defendant callously gunned down and killed ​Officer Mohamed Said, who was just doing his job and had just begun his career in law enforcement. Tragic does not even begin to describe that happened here.” Lopez is also facing charges linked to the robbery of an Auto Zone. The robbery happened at 8:47 p.m. July 20, 2024, in the 1500 block of Fort Street in Lincoln Park, officials said. Lopez is accused of walking into the store and pulling out a handgun. He pointed it at a worker before stealing money and knives, according to police. He is charged with armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and two felony firearm violations. Lopez was arraigned at 25th District Court and remanded to jail. Shawnte Passmore joined WDIV in August 2024 after working at KOVR in Sacramento, California, WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut and KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska. Derick is the Digital Executive Producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. The man charged with the killing of a Melvindale police officer this week injured another cop and was accused of taking his gun after a carjacking in Detroit more than a decade ago was released from prison in 2022 after serving about 10 years in that incident He was discharged from parole just weeks before police would name him as a suspect following the shooting death of 23-year-old Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said On Thursday, Lopez was formally charged with 12 counts in the death of Said Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said in a release More: Suspect in death of Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said faces murder charge More: Funeral services, visitation set for slain Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said “Tragic does not even begin to describe (what) happened here,” Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in the statement a Detroit police officer was treated at a hospital and had to have a cast put on his right hand after Lopez admitted the two “tussled” when he tried to arrest him near West Fort and Springwells streets in southwest Detroit “I pushed him off of me and I tried to get away,” Lopez said in April 2012 during his sentencing according to a transcript in Wayne County Circuit Court The Free Press could not reach an attorney on Lopez's behalf on Wednesday His mother declined comment when reached by phone Lopez admitted he stole a 1997 Dodge Dakota from a man in Detroit in the incident permanently costing the victim sight in his right eye Lopez and Detroit Police Officer James Johnson "tussled" and he resisted arrest fleeing a police officer and assault with intent to rob In a plea agreement those three charges were dropped and he pleaded guilty to carjacking and a count of assaulting resisting and obstructing causing injury of a police officer Lopez served a little over ten years in prison for those two felonies — 20 years shy of the maximum 30-year sentence Wayne County Circuit Judge Ulysses Boykin gave him Police say they arrested Lopez on Monday in the 3400 block of Gilbert St in southwest Detroit in connection with the shooting death of Said Said was on his 14th month into the job and was described as a soccer star and beloved member of the community by his friends and family Lopez expressed regret in court in April 2012 sorry and remorseful for what I have done," Lopez said "I can't say anything or do anything to help the situation." The assistant prosecutor said at the sentencing that he hoped the time in prison would help Lopez turn his life around "I think (Lopez's) addiction has gotten to the point where he's at and sometimes there's a situation where a person going to prison can actually save their life," said Walter Bentley from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office it's an unfortunate situation on all grounds." Michigan Department of Corrections has not responded to questions from the Free Press about Lopez's parole status before his arrest Thursday at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center at 15801 Michigan Ave Friday at the American Moslem Society in Dearborn Clarification: This story has been clarified to accurately reflect the duration of Lopez's prison sentence and his time on parole Staff writer Christine MacDonald contributed to this report Rappleye can be reached at lrappleye@freepress.com (WXYZ) — The community continues to grieve Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said who was shot and killed in the line of duty this past Sunday Friends and family members say the 26-year-old helped so many and always had people's best interest at heart contacted 7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed to share more about Mohamed's legacy VIDEO: Mohamed Said's brother talks with Faraz Javed which was still parked at the police station Mohamed parked his car at the station this past Saturday at 11:55 p.m I take his permission before I take my parents' permission VIDEO: Best friend remembers life of fallen Melvindale officer Officer Said approached a suspicious person with the intention to help Ahmed called his brother 'Mo.' His parents and two siblings moved from Yemen 10 years ago Mo leaves behind two brothers: 22-year-old Ahmed and 7-year-old Yousef who asks Ahmed every day when Mo will be back Ahmed said Mo was always looking out for his family I'm not going to worry about my mom and dad I will apologize to them and they will be fine I see a lot of messages from around the city He used to treat a lot of people as his brothers," said Ahmed Ahmed tells us he was a very good soccer player and he got number 10 as badge number," he said Ahmed said it was Mo's dream to be a police officer since he was young and the US in general and do everything for that," he said Mohamed joined the Melvindale Police Department a year ago The department sponsored the Melvindale High School graduate through the Wayne County Regional Police Academy took his hat that I will wear for the rest of my life," said Ahmed After a massive manhunt led by multiple law enforcement agencies 44-year-old Michael Lopez was apprehended Monday evening VIDEO: Suspect arrested in murder of Melvindale police officer "I just took his handcuff and gave it to the officers to go handcuff the guy that killed my brother," said Ahmed Ahmed said he cared about his community and wanted to keep it safe the whole city lost someone who cared about the city who was trying to make the city better and better," he said I don't want anyone coming to the city and do something stupid here.' He was trying to keep the city away from drugs .. Ahmed said he would bring a person struggling with drug addiction to the hospital every day What if they do something to you?' He would say it's all for Allah," said Ahmed Ahmed said his family can't believe Mo is gone he got work in few hours.' Those words broke my heart," said Ahmed Officer Said's funeral is set to take place this Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dearborn Mosque. For more information, click here. Where Your Voice Matters (WXYZ) — The Melvindale community came together Thursday to honor the life of fallen police Officer Mohamed Said His soccer jersey number was retired at the high school Related video: 'We lost a hero.' Brother of fallen Melvindale officer said 'Mo' loved his community But 10 was also the number he proudly wore as a teenager when he played for the Melvindale High School soccer team His jersey number was retired Thursday night he loved Melvindale High School,” Said’s brother Ahmed said “I found a folder of all his memories and I read one of his essays He was talking about how Melvindale is good to him and how he’s going to protect and everything.” The community also unveiled a statue to honor Said The statue says “Be like Moe,” as he was known as a positive influence in the community and remained active at the high school It was a somber sight: Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said's police cruiser a partner," said Melvindale police officer Hussein Ayoub "We met a long time before we became police officers and he was one of the reasons why I came to Melvindale." The public visitation is being held until 8 p.m Attendees included Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and city councilmembers along with officers from several metro Detroit police departments growing up between his native Yemen and the downriver Michigan community he became a star soccer player for the Melvindale High School Cardinals and decided at a young age to become a police officer Samantha Elliott met Said while photographing his soccer games for a local newspaper and went on to teach at Melvindale High School during his senior year "He was so much more than the star soccer player he loved having the small city show up for everything," Elliott said Organizers handed attendees blue ribbons to commemorate the fallen officer as they approached the building, and police officers waited inside to escort them into the Lincoln Ballroom A line of diverse community members filed through the room as Quran recitation echoed across the ballroom's high ceilings encompassing the wave of grief pouring through this community Mourners waited in turn to pay their respects at Said's open casket guarded on both sides by police officers and American flags Each person honored Said in their respective faith tradition many stopped to greet Said's family members recalled growing up together in Yemen and later Melvindale where they attended the same high school and worked jobs together Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday ordered all U.S and Michigan flags across the state to be lowed to half-staff Friday to honor Said Services for Said will continue Friday with law enforcement honors procession and staging at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn at 8 a.m. funeral at the American Moslem Society in Dearborn and burial (WXYZ) — Police in Melvindale are cracking down on dangerous driving after a wave of speeders They’re also highlighting efforts on social media to impact the community “What are some of the worst examples of speeding and reckless driving?” I asked Lt Down Schaffer Highway is a 35 mph zone and we’ve stopped cars doing 70 “Tearing through neighborhoods and doing double the speed limit with kids out playing.” Hitting the streets with Furman in the heart of Melvindale I got to see firsthand what it means to turn up the heat on speeders and other reckless drivers We’ve issued 6,500 tickets this year since January 1st 1,300 or so of those are for speeding,” Furman said A post on social media is warning of zero tolerance in a city that’s less than 3 square miles Furman stopped the driver of a Ford pickup truck doing more than 10 mph over the limit After reviewing the stop and the violation the lieutenant sent the strong message that police aren’t taking this lightly you are receiving a ticket,” Furman told the driver Minutes later on a patrol through neighborhoods I asked families if they feel their voice has been heard and will make a difference “Do you hope penalties discourage speeding?” I asked one resident “It makes you feel better for sure because the kids just want to be kids play with friends and basketball,” resident Pamela Richardson said get out of the street,” resident Jacklyn Richardson said “They’re engaging more into the community with the kids and try to make sure they’re more safe.” I also called larger communities like Taylor and Sterling Heights to compare statistics Police in Taylor told me they issued 16,000 for moving violations interactions with parents show just how much this means “(They’re) visibly very happy when they see up making traffic stops,” he said Melvindale police say they plan to continue the enforcement with high visibility in order to be a deterrent for future speeding A manhunt is underway for a gunman after a Melvindale police officer was shot dead at Oakwood and Dix Road Sunday it feels like it's a movie now," Saeed said "I think that the city should step up and bring more cops and more patrol to make the city safe for all the community." A procession of police vehicles with flashing lights and sirens blaring escorted Said's body Sunday, according to video posted by TCD Dearborn News The suspect — Michael Lopez, a 44-year-old Hispanic male — remains at large, armed and dangerous, Melvindale police said in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon Police cautioned the public not to approach Lopez Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin mourned Said's death in a post to his personal Facebook profile Sunday "I am profoundly saddened by the senseless and tragic murder of Ofc Mohamed Said," Shahin said in the post "He was a kind soul who proudly served the residents of Melvindale friends and our police community as we grieve the loss of a brother." The shooting took place near the 17000 block of Clarann Street in Melvindale where officers were responding to a call from a carwash at 17344 Clarann The neighborhood is near Oakwood Boulevard and Dix Road blocks from the sprawling Marathon Petroleum Corp Said joins over 600 Michigan police officers killed in the line of duty, according to Officer Down Memorial Page. In June, Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Reckling was shot dead in Detroit for everybody that likes him in the community." Said's soccer career included playing for the Melvindale High School Cardinals according to posts on Said's personal Facebook profile Anyone with information regarding this shooting can contact the Melvindale Police Department at 313-429-1070 The Dearborn Police Department said in a statement it is assisting the investigation: "As a result of an officer-involved shooting earlier today in Melvindale we are currently working closely with the Melvindale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies during the investigation The Dearborn Police Department has made all of our assets available for this incident." (WXYZ) — The 44-year-old man accused of killing a Melvindale Police officer has been arraigned on a string of felonies including murder Michael Lopez is charged with Homicide- Murder of a Peace Officer Weapons Possession by a Prohibited Person Felony Firearms (five counts) and Habitual Offender (Fourth Offense) On Sunday Said was killed near a car wash while responding to a call about people hanging around the business Lopez was taken into custodyin Southwest Detroita day later following a manhunt Lopez served about 12 years in prison for a carjacking in 2011 and injuring a police officer He was released from prison in June 2022 and completed his parole just last month Judge Richard Page was moved to tears along with several court employees in the gallery Judge Page said the court will disqualify itself from the case because they consider Said "part of the court family." Watch video of the judge speaking during the hearing below Watch videos of the arrest shared from nearby residents below: Hundreds gathered to remember the life of Said earlier this week WATCH: 200+ gather to remember the life of fallen Melvindale police officer Mohamed said Mohamed's friend and a fellow police officer His line was always small city with a big heart." "He loved his job," family member Habsh Ahmed told us WATCH: Family and friends speak about fallen police officer Mohamed Said If you'd like to donate to Said's family, visit a verified GoFundMe page that has been set up for them (WXYZ) — The Melvindale community gathered for a vigil Monday in front of the police department to remember the life of Officer Mohamed Said who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday Over 200 people gathered to keep Said's name and memory alive They say he was a dedicated officer not just because it was his job "He was a damn good officer," Melvindale Police Lt They want his legacy to be the good he did in the community and not his death He wanted to bring justice to those who were wronged and provide happiness to children by giving them toys "He wanted to pass out toys to kids in the community gathering toys at the vigil just to keep his legacy going," Melvindale resident Michelle MacNicol said Video: Family of slain Melvindale police officer speaks out His partner Officer Mohamed Hacham remembers Said as the man who would do anything to keep his community safe “Mohamed Said is law enforcement and it doesn’t get better than that," Hacham said "He did everything in his power to protect this city Hacham was Said's partner until Sunday when changed shifts He says he saw Said one last time Sunday and went on his new shift He knew in his heart something was wrong that day and his heart breaks for his friend and partner Mo's family is happy that justice can be brought to the man who allegedly took his life. Michael Lopez was taken into custody in Southwest Detroit Monday evening. But they say it will never bring back their brother and friend VIDEO: Suspect in Melvindale Officer Mohamed Said's murder captured in Southwest Detroit I lost a guy that would do anything for me," Mohamed's brother Ahmed Said said The official funeral arrangements for Said are below: If you'd like to donate to Said's family, visit a verified GoFundMe page that has been set up for them it turns out the pain is not only at the pump but inflation is also being felt inside gas station convenience stores At Kelly's Fuel Mart at the BP gas station on Allen Road We try to get people to not only buy gas outside We want them to come and shop at our store," said Imad Khalil President of Kelly's Fuel Mart & Propane Refill Center Khalil owns the Melvindale gas station and two others in Detroit the station has lost 15% in sales due to the rising price of goods WEB VIDEO: Imad Khalil walks through price increases "This small bag of Cheez-it is $1.49 Cheez-Its," said Imad We're selling a 20-ounce pop for $2.59," said Imad all these beverages have gone up substantially A bottle of oil like Pennzoil which we sell now like $6.49 We also don't have the buying power of big box retail Then there is a rise in transportation costs as well as wage inflation for his seven employees we raised our payroll for about $35,000," said Imad The biggest item on the list is rolling on to consumers.. We're averaging probably about 90 to $10,000 a month just in card fees alone," said Imad now we're going to like what appears to be like a cashless society where most people are spending like I was saying 75-80% of transactions are done by tap to pay now people don't carry cash anymore so that's also a big factor and when we're calculating our margins," said Imad The president of the Michigan Association of Convenience Stores is not surprised to see the broader impact of inflation some folks have to travel a long way to get to a grocery store so they rely on the local convenience stores," said Griffin how important are sales at the convenience store?" asked Faraz the real return on investment for many convenience store operators is those in-store items Offering quality service at the store and supporting the community are just some ways Imad tackles challenges as a small business owner We try to focus on supporting all Melvindale programs we'd love to support and have a larger budget to support other programs but we focus on those areas because those are the people that help us stay in business," said Imad Imad also reminds customers that gas station clerks have nothing to do with price hikes so taking out the frustration on them achieves nothing (WXYZ) — A special police service was held Friday morning for slain Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said The service in Dearborn took place before his funeral VIDEO: Watch the service for officer Said below: VIDEO: The End of Watch Call for Melvindale officer Mohamed Said resemble him," said Melvindale Police Chief Robert Kennaley the funeral escort drove Said's casket past his parents' house before arriving at a mosque in Dearborn Video of the funeral escort driving by Said's parents' house: Visitation was held Thursday at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn Said was shot and killed in the line of duty over the weekend in Melvindale The suspect was arrested after a multi-day manhunt WATCH BELOW: 'We lost a hero.' Brother of fallen Melvindale officer said 'Mo' loved his community (WXYZ) — The search for the suspect in the shooting of fallen Melvindale Police Department Officer Mohamed Said came to an end Monday evening A deputy Wayne County executive told reporters that the suspect was captured alive in Southwest Detroit near Michigan Avenue and Otis Street A two-day manhunt for Lopez involved several law enforcement agencies including Michigan State Police Said was fatally shot on Sunday near a car wash in the area of Clarann Street and Oakwood Boulevard Officials said on Sunday that Said responded to the gas station to check out a group of people who were reportedly hanging around The Melvindale police chief said there was a struggle and that's when the officer was shot and "killed instantly." Video: Hundreds gather to remember the life of fallen Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said this is something that should have never taken place," Police Chief Robert Kennaley said "This is an officer who put his heart and soul into his job." Officials said the investigation led them to a vacant home The chief heard the arrest happen over the radio his handcuffs were put on Lopez during the arrest Video of the arrest shows Lopez winking at a person recording him as he was surrounded by dozens of law enforcement officers The chief told us using Said's handcuffs was important to them because they wanted him to be the one to make the arrest It's a very much evil smirk and he winked at the whole community That's pretty devastating to us,” one person who lives near the arrest scene said Neighbors watched Lopez's arrest in disbelief "For him to be coming all the way over there to our street he rots in jail because he took an innocent life Officials held a press conference earlier Monday Melvindale Mayor Nicole Shkira told the community that Said was a dedicated police officer and hero we mourn the passing of a hero in our community an officer who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty for our safety," Shkira said "We as a community will always honor the sacrifice he made protecting and serving our residents with unwavering courage and commitment to Melvindale." friends and colleagues of our fallen officer I offer my deepest condolences and unwavering support Your loss is our loss and we stand with you in this time of grief and mourning Kennaley said the suspect had a criminal record A $37,500 reward was offered for information on Lopez's location when he was on the run a suspect in the killing of Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said has ended according to Michigan State Police Lopez was arrested in the 3400 block of Gilbert St in southwest Detroit on Monday and was taken into custody alive according to a social media post from MSP Second District less than a month before the Sunday shooting He previously served 12 years for carjacking and assaulting an officer in 2011 A $37,500 reward was offered for information leading to his capture The Dearborn Police Department told the Free Press that it is not commenting at this time What we know: Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said, 23, shot and killed Colleagues, friends and residents are reeling over the loss of Said, who was a beloved member of the Melvindale community. In high school, he competed with the soccer team at Melvindale High School and was described by friends as a "star." "The city should step up and bring more cops and more patrol to make the city safe for all the community a city council member in Hamtramck and former Hamtramck police chaplain posted on Facebook that he had known Said for more than 10 years He said he was "deeply saddened" by his death where officers were responding to a call from a car wash at 17344 Clarann Officer Said was shot while responding to a suspicious individual call near a gas station on Oakwood and Dix Road in Melvindale Said tased him and Lopez pulled out a gun and shot the officer Reporters Jalen Williams and Jenna Prestininzi contributed reporting (WXYZ) — Among the thousands of students heading back to the classroom is a 7-year-old boy who has been through a difficult summer It's the first day of school for the younger brother of Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said Officer Said was shot and killed in the line of duty in July with tributes to the 26-year-old officer flowing in for weeks PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dearborn Officer remembers fallen Melvindale Officer Mohamed Said PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mohamed Said's brother talks with 7 News Detroit's Faraz Javed PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Officials and family speak about fallen Officer Mohamed Said PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police service held for slain Melvin police officer Mohamed Said as Officer Said's little brother returns to Allendale Elementary School While Mo won't be there to take his youngest brother police officers from here in Melvindale and the surrounding areas are making sure Yousef knows he's never alone PREVIOUS COVERAGE: End of watch call for Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said sirens and flashing lights somberly escorted Officer Mohamed Said's remains to be prepared for his final resting place a pain his brother Ahmed told 7 News Detroit his family doesn't go a second without feeling "You know we lost a hero," Ahmed told us last month who was trying to make the city better and better." PHOTOS: Yousef's first day of school with Melvindale police The 7-year-old starts his first day of school at Allendale Elementary School Melvindale and other surrounding agencies are coming together to make his first day as special as they can from overhead with a fly over and on the ground level "All the officers loved him,: Ahmed said of Mohamed He used to treat a lot of people as his brothers." is expected to be in court today for a preliminary hearing VIDEO EXTRA: Arrest of suspect in Melvindale police officer's murder A manhunt is underway for a convicted felon accused in the shooting death of 23-year-old Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said Said was shot and killed Sunday morning at Oakwood and Dix Road friends and residents are reeling over the loss of Said who was a beloved member of the Melvindale community he competed with the soccer team at Melvindale High School Cardinals and was described by friends as a "star." a city council member in Hamtramck and former Hamtramck Police chaplain posted on Facebook that he had known Said for over 10 years Michigan State Police and Dearborn Police Department are both assisting with the manhunt In a Facebook post on Sunday police cautioned the public not to approach Lopez How it happenedAccording to information from police Officer Said was shot while responding to a suspicious individual call at a gas station on Oakwood and Dix Road in Melvindale Officer Said is now the latest officer in Michigan to die in the line of duty. He had served for 14 months. On June 27, Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr. died in Hillsdale in the line of duty Funeral services setSaid's funeral service is set for Friday at 1:30 p.m Reward for informationThe Bureau of Alcohol Michigan State Police and the Police Defense Foundation are offering a reward of up to $37,500 for information leading to the arrest of Lopez Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Melvindale Police Department Tips can also be received through the ATF hotline or emailing ATFTips@atf.gov or submitting information anonymously through the Report It website select “ATF – Detroit Field Division” as the reporting agency Information eligible for reward must lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspect (WXYZ) — As the community continues to mourn the loss of Melvindale Police Officer Mohamed Said and his old high school plans to hold a celebration of life in his honor It was a somber day at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Thursday as friends, family, law enforcement and many others stopped by to pay their respects to the fallen officer at his visitation. Hear from Said's loved ones at the visitation in the video below: he cares about his community," Said's friend and soccer teammate Kasem Almuraisi said at the visitation being a soccer star that led his team to a state championship and then continued to stop by the school once becoming a police officer "He was just like the ultimate liaison officer He would be parked out front saying good morning to kids as they came in," Melvindale-North Allen Park School District Superintendent Ryan Vranesich said Vranesich was Said’s principal when he attended Melvindale High School the district is holding a remembrance of life this Sunday from 6 p.m so those that knew him and loved him from school can grieve together "Make sure that everybody gets to kind of hug each other and say what they want to say Just hoping it will help through the process for all of us," Vranesich said Mohamed Said's funeral will take place on July 26 at 11 a.m at the American Moslem Society in Dearborn A third suspect has been charged in connection with a fatal Melvindale shooting last spring was arraigned Tuesday at the 24th District Court in the death of 20-year-old Frederick Coleman Jr. the Melvindale Police Department said in a Facebook post Harris was charged with first degree premeditated murder and using a firearm while committing a felony Judge John Courtright also set his bond at $1 million Harris' arrest by the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team and arraignment comes months after officials first charged two men in connection with the fatal shooting Dispatchers sent Melvindale police to respond to a report of a shooting at West Outer Drive and Seaway Drive at 9:50 p.m the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced in July Police arrived to find Coleman dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the driver's seat of his car were allegedly armed with handguns when they stopped at the intersection and fatally shot Coleman before fleeing Police arrested the two defendants on July 9 Both were charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm while committing a felony Both Cox and Curtis Harris were ordered to be held without bond at their arraignments in July Cox and Curtis Harris most recently appeared in court on Oct but their proceedings were adjourned for preliminary exams scheduled for Dec Kyren Harris' preliminary exam is also scheduled for Dec following a probable cause hearing set for Nov did not immediately respond to a request for comment Kyren Harris did not have an attorney listed as representing him in online court records as of Thursday morning A Melvindale police officer who relatives and his chief described as thoughtful and dedicated to the department and the community was shot and killed Sunday morning in the line of duty A manhunt was underway Sunday night for a 44-year-old suspect The Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge of Michigan identified the officer as Mohamed Said as did Dearborn's police chief Sunday on social media Melvindale's police chief declined to name the officer "out of respect for his family." Police named 44-year-old Michael Lopez in the incident that unfolded near a car wash at Oaklwood Boulevard and Dix Road He has tattoos and was last seen riding a green bicycle shirtless and was considered armed and dangerous "If you see this suspect or anyone closely resembling the suspect please do not approach or confront," police said near the car wash and moved into a neighborhood; another officer reported a suspicious person; by 11:42 a.m. said Melvindale police Chief Robert Kennaley "He saw these individuals with bags that didn't have a vehicle they were just hanging around the car wash with all their bags and he went in to investigate to get a feel of if they needed help just to understand what they were doing there." The suspect took off running and the officer went after him A struggle ensued as Said tried to make an arrest using his Taser shots were fired by the suspect and "the officer was down," Kennaley said "We have every agency looking for him," the chief said "The biggest thing now is for him to turn himself in because it's only a matter of time before we will catch you." The department is partnering with the Bureau of Alcohol Firearms and Explosives and Michigan State Police to offer a $20,000 reward for information on the suspect's whereabouts Tipsters can call the ATF or contact Melvindale PD at (313) 429-1070 Said recently graduated from the Wayne County Regional Police Academy and was sponsored by Melvindale Police Department Melvindale was the only police agency he had worked for "This is is an officer who put his heart and soul into this job and into his community it's outrageous that something like this took place," Kennaley said said Said’s passing was “devastating.” He said when they were growing up but the two of them would resolve their disagreements by playing soccer said his cousin was a good person and a good officer “Hopefully they will catch the suspect as soon as possible,” he said said he saw police vehicles in the area Sunday morning but he didn’t know his cousin was involved they got a phone call and found out Said had died He said he wants Said to be remembered for “the great person that he was.” He was "very thoughtful," helped the local community and would collect donations for people in need in Yemen He and his family immigrated to Metro Detroit from Yemen when he was a child Salem said his cousin's smile was “a big smile – from ear to ear.” Others who described themselves as relatives or acquaintances of the officer came to the shooting scene throughout the afternoon Two people said the slain officer was a former classmate of Melvindale used to play soccer with him at Melvindale High School He described Said as passionate about his job and someone who always wanted to become a police officer Said was "a very genuine guy," Yousef said "He loved doing what he does … he's Melvindale's all-time remembered when he and his family came to the country from Yemen "He came with no English and then he studied hard proved himself and became an officer," Almuraisi said Dearborn and Michigan State Police spent hours Sunday near the scene Police vehicles blocked access to the streets closest to a business A helicopter flew overhead and a canine unit was deployed in the neighborhood The officer is the third in recent days to be killed in the line of duty Oakland County Deputy Bradley Reckling was shot and killed June 22 in what was described as an ambush as he followed a car stolen from Madison Heights Hillsdale County Sheriff's Deputy William Henry Butler Jr was killed in a traffic stop in Jefferson Township Said recounted earlier this month on his Facebook page about responding to an OWI car accident in July after which the suspect fled on foot Said said he and his partners searched the neighborhood and thought the suspect might have slipped into a local bar a man came up to him and told him how Said had helped him when 20 to 30 deck boards fell from the back of his truck on Oakwood and Lenore in May and recounted how Said moved the boards to the curb to clear the road and then looked for the driver "I spent about 20 minutes searching for the truck even asking my brother and brother-in-law to come to the city and help look for the truck," Said wrote I found the truck nearby and helped the driver load the boards back I followed him home to make sure the boards didn't fall off." Said said the only reason he shared the encounter "is because meeting that man at the bar reminded me how much small actions can mean to people It showed me that there are still good people out there who notice and appreciate when you help them — A Melvindale police officer was shot and killed near a car wash on Sunday — and now a manhunt is underway for the suspect VIDEO: Melvindale officials speak about fallen Officer Mohamed Said The fatal shooting happened near the 17000 block of Clarann Street in Melvindale We're told the officer responded to a car wash at 17344 Clarann to check out a group of people who were reportedly hanging around this is something that should have never taken place," said Chief Robert Kennaley "This is an officer who put his heart and soul into his job," continued Chief Kennaley VIDEO: Watch the chief's full update after the fatal shooting of the officer below: Multiple local police departments have identified the slain officer as Mohamed Said The Melvindale police chief said the suspect had a criminal record the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Michigan State Police are assisting with the search of the suspect Hear from a Melvindale resident who lives near the scene below Police are searching for a 44-year-old man named Michael Lopez Police say he's wearing black pants and no shirt Police are asking for the public's help in finding Lopez with the manhunt underway near Oakwood and Dix Road do not approach and call police immediately MSP and the Melvindale police are now offering up to $37,500 for information on the whereabouts of Lopez VIDEO: Watch our latest report from Faraz Javed below Dearborn — The depth of the loss of Mohamed Said was measured for hours Friday not only in tears and memories but by the many who showed up to bid a final farewell to the slain Melvindale police officer Before the funeral began at the American Moslem Society mourners lined up to pay their respects to Said inside the mosque The line stretched and snaked from the main entrance through the adjacent hall back into the main hall and to his dark wood coffin Guests whispered prayers as they placed a hand on the casket. It took more than an hour for the line of people to finish paying their respects to Said, who was 26 and had served just over a year with the department before being fatally shot Sunday "This is a good sign," Imam Belal Alzuhairi said they don't have the same skin color or follow the same faith But all of them came together as a united family for Mohamed He was a person who united people when he was alive Alzuhairi addressed the large audience at the mosque throughout an emotional service aimed at celebrating what many described as a vibrant life ended by an unthinkable tragedy we gather here as one united family from different faiths ethnicities and political affiliations," the imam said The prayer hall of the American Moslem Society on Vernor Highway near Dix was packed with those who wanted to support the fallen officer's family Volunteers in bright red vests ushered those who attended to seats on the floor or folding chairs The imam recalled he had known Said for years He said they exchanged text messages years ago in which the officer told the cleric how proud he was of him and the work he does Alzuhairi added he responded with kind words but didn't return the compliment without any hesitation and with complete certainty pausing as he sniffled and dabbed his eyes with a tissue The funeral service on Friday followed a solemn procession that wound its way from the Dearborn Civic Center through Melvindale and to the American Moslem Society police car sirens blared as the parade moved down Dix The cars were emblazoned with logos of police departments across Metro Detroit and beyond everywhere from Detroit to Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University in East Lansing Bystanders stood along the streets to watch it pass Some held up their mobile phones to record the procession Once the hearse carrying Said's coffin parked in front of the mosque uniformed officers stood while drones flew overhead The funeral marked the end of a week that shook the Downriver community of 12,400 residents It started late Sunday morning when Said went to investigate people with bags near a car wash trying to find out "if the people needed help," Melvindale Police Chief Robert Kennaley said A suspect took off running and Said chased him and a struggle ensued as Said tried to make an arrest using his Taser Police launched a search for 44-year-old suspect Michael Lopez who was caught late Monday by Michigan State Police in Detroit after a day of eluding law enforcement and faces up to life in prison if found guilty Lopez, a Southfield resident, is charged as a habitual defender and served more than 10 years for a 2011 carjacking. He has also been charged with obstructing or assaulting a Detroit police officer. Officials said Lopez was discharged from parole a month before Sunday's shooting Melvindale's 24th District Court Judge Richard Page on Thursday saying the case was the most worthy of no bond in the 20 years he has sat on the bench Page and Judge John Courtright indicated they would submit paperwork to the state to disqualify themselves from Lopez's case to avoid any conflict of interest "We had a moment of silence the other day for Corporal Said," Page said Thursday "We consider him part of the court family." News of the charges coincided with a visitation Thursday at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn where numerous acquaintances and others hailed his service and recalled Said's dedication As the community reels from the loss, supporters have launched online fundraisers to support causes in Said's memory recently graduated from the Wayne County Regional Police Academy and was sponsored by the Melvindale Police Department He worked only for the Melvindale Police Department after becoming an officer Police Chief Kennaley said Monday he first met Said when he was a high school soccer player They kept in touch through Said joining the department The chief noted Said had dreams of joining the K9 unit or detective bureau and this community loved him," Kennaley said Melvindale Mayor Nicole Shkira told The Detroit News before Lopez's arrest that she considered Mohamed Said like a sibling because he was supportive of her mayoral campaign Shkira said he told her they were brother and sister for life Alzuhairi spoke of the prophet Muhammad and how he led a life of sacrifice and service and called others to do the same "Let this funeral be a testimony to the importance of living a life of purpose Said's coffin was carried to the Woodmere Cemetery near the mosque Many followed the casket to where Said was placed in his final resting place an 18-year-old from Dearborn who said he didn't know Said but was touched by the outpouring of support for his family "It's incredible how many people came," Altairi said Hundreds of people are expected to line the streets of Dearborn for a solemn procession for Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said was killed in a shooting at Oakwood and Dix Road on Sunday More: Suspect in Melvindale officer's death arrested, according to MSP Visitation is scheduled for Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center 15801 Michigan Ave. The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the American Moslem Society a law enforcement procession will escort Officer Said's body to the funeral service The procession will start at the Dearborn Civic Center and head eastbound down Greenfield then southbound on Allen Road and then on Oakwood Blvd Community members who wants to pay respects to Said can stand on either side of Oakwood Boulevard from Allen Road to Schaefer Highway He served on the Melvindale police force for 14 months and was known in the community as an avid soccer player and leader He is an alumnus of Melvindale High School The Melvindale Police Department is accepting donations for the Said family They prefer cash but checks can be made out to the City of Melvindale Police Department with "Cpl. Said Fund" in the memo section. Donations can also be made through his GoFundMe account was charged with 59 misdemeanors for tacking more than 615 illegal commercial signs to light poles across Detroit he joined the effort to take down other cluttered signs across the city Shaw's labor contributes to the City of Detroit Blight to Beauty program's nuisance sign removal process to take down the thousands of illegally placed signs around the city While the number of signs decreased by summer 2023 the city was forced to take legal action when some repeat offenders refused to quit − Shaw's Plumbing being the worst of the worst Shaw's Plumbing was found to be the worst offender among the top 20 identified requiring the city to dip into funds and manpower to take down signs in every corner of the city between February 2022 and July 2023 Shaw's Plumbing signs were harder to remove than most Shaw's signs were placed using a nail gun with threaded nails that have wide plastic collars as opposed to a typical nail gun often requiring city workers to use box cutters to cut around the heavy-duty nail heads suggesting that the person installing the signs was on a ladder or back of a truck which added another layer of difficulty in taking them off the light poles More: Man wrongfully arrested with facial recognition tech settles lawsuit (freep.com) the law department sent Shaw repeated warnings for his sign usage including text messages sent to all known phone numbers repeated phone calls and cease-and-desist letters requesting that the owner or representative of Shaw's Plumbing attend a meeting on July 17 with the law department to address the ongoing violations of the city’s ordinance Shaw ignored all communication attempts and continued to tack his signs to the city's property, so on July 28, 2023, Shaw was charged with 59 counts of violating the City of Detroit’s sign ordinance Shaw was sentenced to 40 hours of community service a 36th District Court judge ordered him to spend those hours the opposite way of how he earned them: removing illegally posted signs that other business owners have posted around Detroit The suspected gunman in the killing of a Melvindale police officer has been arrested, according to Michigan State Police was arrested in the 3400 block of Gilbert St was shot while responding to a suspicious individual call near a gas station on Oakwood and Dix Road in Melvindale less than a month before the Sunday's shooting Said's funeral service is set for Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the American Moslem Society in Dearborn There is also a visitation on Thursday July 25 from 12:00 p.m at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center located at 15801 Michigan Ave Reporters Liam Rappleye and Jenna Prestininzi contributed reporting A 44-year-old Southfield man is facing charges of murder and a slew of other felonies in the death of 23-year-old Melvindale police officer Mohamed Said following an arraignment Michael Lopez was arraigned Thursday via Zoom in 24th District Court in Melvindale and remanded to jail on charges that include murder of a police officer possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine/ecstasy possession of a controlled substance under 25 grams carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and five counts of felony firearm Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Rana Hadied appeared in court on two cases involving Lopez Thursday according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office The case will be moved to a different district court ahead of this hearing to avoid conflict of interest He is accused of fatally shooting Said in an incident at Oakwood and Dix Road on Sunday More: Suspect in fatal Melvindale police shooting injured Detroit officer in 2011, records show "Policing is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Thursday "The alleged facts in this case will show that this defendant callously gunned down and killed 23-year-old ​Officer Mohamed Said who was just doing his job and had just begun his career in law enforcement Tragic does not even begin to describe that happened here." Visitation for Said, a beloved community figure and former high school soccer star, is being held noon to 8 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center 15801 Michigan Ave. The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the American Moslem Society Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday ordered flags lowered to half-staff Friday to honor Officer Said (WXYZ) — A Melvindale Police Department officer was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sunday VIDEO: Family of slain Melvindale police officer speaks out who is also a police officer but in Dearborn shared how the 26-year-old lived his life and was a beacon of hope for others is one of the Dearborn Police Department's newest officers Algamal always wanted to be a police officer VIDEO: Extended interview: Algamal shares memories of fallen Melvindale officer let me do what I love to do,” Algamal said Algamal worked as an intern at the department and then as a dispatcher Although the Yemeni culture brought them together Algamal says Said's support helped him transition from a dispatcher to an officer “He’d go out of his way to make sure that I ate Officials talk at a press conference before the suspect's arrest in the video below: Algamal says that Said's Facebook page documents his love for law enforcement He also took pride in being an honor student and a great soccer player Algamal described Said as a father figure and brother to him “Mostly he… I like to call it a motivating motivator,” Algamal said “He always wanted to make sure that whatever someone is doing He was there for me when I was going through the toughest time of my life and I wish I was there for him when he was going through his,” Algamal continued He is the type of person who put people together and make something happen But I never got to say those three words to him.” colleagues and friends of a Melvindale police officer killed in the line of duty paid tribute to him during a funeral visitation Thursday while the man accused of fatally shooting the young officer was arraigned on multiple charges Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Michael Lopez He faces up to life in prison if convicted an officer with the Melvindale Police Department late Sunday morning after a struggle near a local car wash Said went to investigate some people with bags near the car wash when a struggle ensued During Lopez's arraignment at Melvindale's 24th District Court, Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Rana Hadied said Worthy charged Lopez as a habitual defender. Lopez served more than 10 years for a 2011 carjacking and had a case for obstructing or assaulting a police officer in Detroit He was discharged from parole a month before Sunday's shooting Judge Richard Page remanded Lopez without bond at the Thursday arraignment I haven't seen a case that is more deserving of no bond," Page said filed into to the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn to pay tribute to the young officer during visitation services said they considered each other brothers because the term “friend” didn’t capture how close their relationship was and Yahya said he always knew Said as “the most loving person.”  “He never had any hate against anyone,” Yahya said He just had so many connections across the community because he loved it Judges disqualify themselvesPage and Judge John Courtright of the 24th District Court will submit paperwork to the state to disqualify themselves from Lopez's case on Thursday The judges disqualified themselves to avoid any conflict of interest in the case "We had a moment of silence the other day for Corporal Said," Page said a defense attorney assigned to represent Lopez for the arraignment Another attorney will be assigned to Lopez for future court proceedings Lopez's probable cause hearing will be held Aug “The alleged facts in this case will show that this defendant callously gunned down and killed 23-year-old ​Officer Mohamed Said who was just doing his job and had just begun his career in law enforcement," Worthy said in a statement "Tragic does not even begin to describe that happened here." allegedly ran away from Said on Sunday after the officer pulled him over near Oakwood Boulevard and Clarann Street Lopez allegedly fatally shot Said with a handgun during the chase around 12:34 p.m. Michigan State Police arrested Lopez on Monday evening in Detroit after he hid from authorities for more than a day Lopez's arraignment came as Said's relatives prepared to say goodbye At the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center friends and elected officials from Dearborn and Melvindale paid their respects saying he'd always dreamed of becoming a police officer “I used to see him on the streets of Melvindale in his cop car patrolling the area and doing his job,” Yahya said “I would text him and tell him how proud I was of him It was his dream since middle school to become a police officer and it’s sad that his dream was taken away so soon.” who got to know Said through his work for the Melvindale community and families who had immigrated to the U.S. said “All (Said) wanted to do was serve the community.”  Shajarah said community leaders in Melvindale “went out of (their) way to get to know Mohamed” after hearing about him he wanted to make sure they felt equal,” Shajarah said “A lot of the kids in Melvindale are newcomers from Yemen and (Said) took it upon himself to be that angel for them to make sure other kids didn’t pick on them Even if they needed something as simple as the shoes that the other kids had he would try to raise money to get it for them.” said Said was someone “full of kindness and loved everyone “He’ll never hold a grudge against anybody,” Qasem said “Since the day we met him to the day he died A funeral procession honoring Said will begin at 10 a.m which is at the same location as the Performing Arts Center The procession will be followed by an 11 a.m funeral service at the American Moslem Society in Dearborn Gretchen Whitmer also released an order for all U.S and state flags to be lowered to half-staff on Friday to honor Said “Officer Mohamed Said was a pillar of his community who embodied what it means to be a public servant,” Whitmer said in a statement Thursday he was always willing to help anyone and worked hard to keep the people he loved most safe More: 'Devastating': Loved ones, community mourn loss of slain Melvindale police officer multiple online fundraisers have been launched in Said's memory A GoFundMe page was started and has raised more than $14,000 for Said part of which will be used to build a well in the officer's memory Another fundraiser was started by Nafissah Alsry, Said's teacher, on LaunchGood with the goal of raising $50,000 for a mosque a well and a scholarship fund in Said's name MELVINDALE, Mich. – An Oakland County man has been charged with killing an on-duty Melvindale police officer at a car wash near the intersection of Oakwood Boulevard and Clarann Street in Melvindale Lopez was arrested Monday. “Policing is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. “The alleged facts in this case will show that this defendant callously gunned down and killed 23-year-old ​Officer Mohamed Said, who was just doing his job and had just begun his career in law enforcement. Tragic does not even begin to describe that happened here.” Arraignment is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday at 24th District Court, via Zoom. Lopez was arraigned Thursday morning at 25th District Court and remanded to jail. A probable cause conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 6, 2024. Help keep local news alive—donate to support our community reporting!Donate Mike Williamson Milan athletics, Milan Big Reds, Milan Girls Basketball The Milan girls’ basketball team kicked off its season in a big way with a 46-6 thrashing of Melvindale Tuesday night Kaily McDaniel scored night first quarter points to help the Big Reds jump out to an early lead and they never looked back Emily Bladen got hot in the second with 12 points including a pair of triples as the Milan lead grew to 30-4 at halftime so the Big Reds got to play several underclassmen in the rout and all 12 players made an impact in the game Bladen led Milan with 21 points on the night and Aubrey Grutt scored two points each for Milan The Big Reds host Garden City Friday night in their next contest The Sun Times News is the hub of the most useful information in Chelsea Subscribe to our free daily newsletter to stay on top of all the local news (WXYZ) — Two men have been charged after allegedly shooting and killing another man in Melvindale earlier this year when police were dispatched to Outer Drive and Seawat for a shooting and found Frederick Coleman dead in his vehicle after being shot multiple times Investigators allege that while Coleman was stopped at that intersection hitting him multiple times before fleeing the scenes Both men were arrested following the incident earlier this month Cox and Harris have been charged with First-Degree Murder and Felony Firearm They are currently in jail awaiting a All Park District court date later this month.