DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Deputy Director of Homeland Security for Wayne County was on his way to headquarters on Tuesday around 3:00 p.m. when he noticed two African American males crossing the street on Beech Daly walking from the Canterbury Woods Apartment complex in the city of Inkster. The two males were carrying what appeared to be a television package box in their hands. Unknown to the officer at the time was that inside of the box were several AK-47 guns and over $5,000 in cash. The two males were actually fleeing a scene after robbing a drug dealer inside of the apartment complex. 

Sam Jaafar, the Deputy Director, tells The Arab American News that the two men seemed suspicious, so he began following them in an unmarked Homeland Security police vehicle as they got into their blue Taurus and began driving north bound on Beech Daly.

The two males noticed the Deputy’s car was still behind them and turned left onto Wilson Drive.  Jaafar says by this point he had already contacted Dearborn Heights Police through his dispatch system, and he had learned that a robbery had just occurred at the Canterbury Woods Apartment complex through Inkster’s dispatch. 

The two males sped down Wilson Drive, jumped out of their vehicles and began running on foot into the neighborhood, just around the block from Kinloch Elementary School, which was getting ready to dismiss their students for the day. Deputy Jaafar says Ed Garcia of the Dearborn Heights Police quickly responded to his dispatch and showed up to the scene. 

With the two males on the loose inside of the neighborhood, Kinloch Elementary was ordered on lockdown by Dearborn Heights police with the co-operation of Principal Susan Zahul for over two hours. 

“I want to compliment the principal, the secretary and the entire staff at the school for doing a fine job in making sure the children were safe guarded. It gave a feeling of security for the children,”  Deputy Jaafar stated. 

About two dozen cops surrounded the neighborhood searching for the two suspects on the loose, as parents who were waiting to pick up their children from school were ordered to remain in their vehicles.

One of the suspects was captured in Dearborn Heights resident Jumana Judeh’s backyard,  hiding behind a shed. Judeh told FOX 2 News that she was proud of the Dearborn Heights Police Department for doing a good job. The second suspect still remains on the loose, according to Dearborn Heights Police. The suspects were described as young Black males in their early 20’s. 

Deputy Jaafar also commended the Chief of the Dearborn Heights Police Lee Gavin, along with the rest of the Department  for doing a good job in quickly responding to the incident. 

“These guys were definitely armed and dangerous. It’s good to know that we were able to get these weapons off the streets, especially during this time of the year when crime rates are higher,” Deputy Jaafar added.