DEARBORN — Dearborn police officers were surprised to find a baby sitting next to a rifle in the back seat after pulling over a suspicious vehicle.

Four suspects – Brian Williams, 28, Vontez VcGee, 28, Ernest young, 32, and Tamara Hardin, 29, all of Detroit – face multiple firearms-related charges in the case.

The incident happened on October 27 after officers responded to a report of two suspicious vehicles near Jerome and Walwit.

“Some real observant citizens found them on a street and figured they were up to no good,” Police Chief Ron Haddad said at a news conference on Monday.

After an investigation, Haddad said Dearborn police detectives determined the four subjects were more than likely involved in a bar fight, then left and went home to get weapons.

Police recovered two rifles from the vehicles.

“Due to the citizens’ quick actions and the responding officers, I’m very confident that a more serious crime was averted,” Haddad said. “You hear me say this a million times; if it wasn’t for our citizen’s calling and our officer’s responding, there’s no telling how this would have ended up.”

The incident has been referred to Child Protective Services.