A 19-year-old man was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in a series of seemingly random shootings over roughly two hours last weekend in Detroit that left three people dead and a fourth wounded.
Wayne County Prosecutor has filed multiple felony charges against Dontae Smith including murder, assault and animal cruelty for the random shootings last weekend, FOX 2 Detroit reports.
"It is not an overstatement to say that on Sunday morning ... this ... defendant reigned real terror on the citizens [of] northwest Detroit," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement while announcing charges. "Normal, everyday life was brought to a standstill as he moved east to his next victim."
Smith killed three people in a shooting spree that started around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, police said. Police Chief James White said that the suspect may have been dealing with a mental illness.
Mayor Mike Duggan told reporters Monday that the man also may have been emboldened after not encountering officers following the first shooting at about 4:45 a.m. when a 28-year-old man was slain less than two miles from a police station. At that early hour, no calls were made to 911, Duggan said.
The prosecutor’s office said police found the man’s body in the doorway of a church.
FORMER DETROIT POLICE OFFICER, HEAD OF INTEGRITY UNIT, PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBERY SCHEME
About 30 minutes later someone called 911 after finding a woman shot about three blocks from the first shooting. She has not yet been identified.
Another woman, Lari Brisco, a 43-year-old single mother of five children, was waiting nearby for a city bus when she was shot multiple times. Both women died from their wounds.
MICHIGAN GIANT SLIDE GOES VIRAL FOLLOWING SPEED CONCERNS
Then, at about 7:10 a.m., 76-year-old John Palik was shot in the leg while walking his dog. The dog was shot in a paw. Both survived.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Police spent 12 hours searching for Smith and peacefully arrested him Sunday at his home following a tip from someone close to him. Police said a gun was found that matched shell casings at the shooting scenes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.