Crime
Officer-Involved Shooting Reported in Detroit, Suspect in Custody
Detroit, MI – A shooting during an eviction escalated into a tense barricaded situation on Detroit’s west side, resulting in a District Court employee being shot and a suspect taken into custody.
The situation unfolded at approximately 12:45 p.m. at a residence on Stahelin Avenue near Cathedral Street, as officials from the 36th District Court arrived to conduct an eviction.
During the process, an individual inside the home opened fire, striking a District Court employee twice.
The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment and is expected to survive.
Following the shooting, the suspect barricaded themselves inside the home, prompting an immediate response from the Detroit Police Department (DPD).
A heavy police presence, including tactical units, was deployed to secure the area and negotiate with the suspect.
Authorities confirmed that no officers were injured, and law enforcement did not return fire during the incident.
After a standoff, the suspect was taken into custody without further violence.
The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, and officials have yet to release further details about the suspect or potential charges.
Residents in the area were advised to stay indoors as police worked to de-escalate the situation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Detroit Police at (313) 596-2200 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
Crime
Eric Bechtolt Killed After Shooting at Florence Tower in Omaha, Suspect Billy Dorrall Arrested
Omaha, NE – On Sunday evening, Omaha Police Department officers responded to an active shooting at Florence Tower, located at 5100 Florence Blvd, following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire inside the building.
The first reports were received at 6:05 p.m., with at least three separate callers stating they had heard shots fired on the fifth or sixth floor of the apartment complex.
By 6:14 p.m., a fourth caller reported seeing a male suspect walking on the sixth floor carrying two handguns.
Uniform Patrol officers arrived on scene at 6:11 p.m. and began a floor-by-floor search of the building, starting from the fifth floor.
As officers ascended the south stairwell toward the sixth floor, they heard sounds of a disturbance.
Just as they neared the sixth-floor door, it was abruptly opened by a male suspect — later identified as 50-year-old Billy A. Dorrall.
At that moment, one officer discharged their service weapon, striking Dorrall in the left hip.
In response, Dorrall fired back down the stairwell and then retreated into the sixth-floor hallway.
Once back in the hallway, Dorrall reportedly fired multiple rounds, aiming both up and down the corridor, and threatened several residents at gunpoint.
A coordinated arrest team, equipped with a ballistic shield, moved into position while officers in the stairwell maintained containment. As they prepared to enter the hallway, officers heard additional gunfire.
The arrest team entered the hallway, issued loud verbal commands, and Dorrall surrendered without further incident.
He was immediately provided medical treatment by Omaha Fire Department personnel and transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He has since been released into police custody.
During the investigation, officers recovered surveillance footage from building cameras, which was provided by the Omaha Housing Authority.
The footage shows Dorrall behaving erratically and confronting residents before engaging in a verbal altercation with another tenant, identified as 45-year-old Eric M. Bechtolt.
The video shows Dorrall returning to his apartment, retrieving a firearm, and shooting Bechtolt multiple times in the hallway. Responding officers later found Bechtolt deceased outside the stairwell door.
Dorrall was interviewed by detectives and provided a full confession, admitting to the murder of Bechtolt.
He also expressed an intent to kill additional residents and responding officers had he not been stopped.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement commending the officers involved:
“I want to commend the officers who responded to this incredibly dangerous situation. Their training, courage, and swift response undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. What unfolded at Florence Tower was tragic, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Bechtolt. Our officers acted heroically under extreme pressure, and I am proud of their commitment to protecting the residents of Omaha.”
The department has released still images from surveillance footage, showing Dorrall armed with two handguns, along with crime scene photographs of the weapons, ammunition, and spent shell casings recovered from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.