Westland

A Detroit man was found guilty of shooting and killing a Westland man outside a Southwest Detroit apartment complex. Damon Bentley, 27, was convicted of first-degree murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon following a trial. The shooting occurred on May 4, 2025, and Bentley was sentenced on July 21, 2026.

A man linked to a 2021 Westland bowling alley shooting was sentenced to federal prison for unlawful ammunition possession. Federal agents raided his home in 2025, leading to his arrest. Meanwhile, Donald Trump called for an FBI investigation into Michigan election claims, while health officials investigate Taco Bell iceberg lettuce as a source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak. Detroit crime rates have reached decades-low levels, but gubernatorial candidates disagree on sustaining progress.

A man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of ammunition linked to a 2021 shooting at a Westland bowling alley. The suspect left his ID at the scene and had a prior 2006 attempted murder conviction.

Westland will remove its 10 Flock Safety license plate-reading cameras when their contract expires, following resident criticism and a divided city council over privacy and data access. The decision comes after public concerns about surveillance and debates over who can access the data, with police chief Kyle Dawley declining to renew the contract and council members like Melissa Sampey and Mike McDermott citing privacy and constitutional issues.

Westland police department will not renew its two-year contract with Flock Safety, an AI-powered license plate reader camera provider, amid privacy concerns. The decision follows divided community opinions and council discussions about data access risks.

Flock cameras are being removed in Westland as the city council has decided not to renew their contract, marking a significant development in the ongoing backlash against the surveillance technology.

Hilton Dorian Yopp III, a 26-year-old from Westland, was charged with three counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and three counts of reckless driving causing death after a fatal crash involving a semi-truck on I-94 in Dearborn, killing three passengers in his car. The incident occurred on July 3, and Yopp is scheduled for arraignment on July 7 in Wayne County’s 19th District Court.

A heat wave is straining metro Detroit's power grid, causing outages in several neighborhoods. DTE Energy attributes the issues to high demand for air conditioning and is working on repairs, but residents face challenges without power or functioning generators.

A Westland pizzeria closed two hours early during a heat wave to protect employees from dangerous kitchen temperatures, with the owner temporarily adjusting hours to prevent exhaustion despite some customer complaints and financial impact.

Southeastern Michigan communities, including Detroit and Westland, have announced cooling centers and adjusted hours for public facilities to address extreme heat with temperatures exceeding 90°F and a heat index over 100°F.

A Westland mother is collecting cans and organizing fundraisers to support her daughter, Stephanie Wolfe, who is battling leukemia and facing high medical costs. The community has donated over $1,000 through returned bottles and cans, and a fundraiser is planned at Oak Lanes Bowling Alley.

A Westland man was sentenced to 1.5-10 years for sending sexual messages to a minor while working at a Birmingham hotel. He pleaded no contest to charges of accosting a minor and using computers to commit a crime.

Flem Peacher VI, a Romulus pastor and dog trainer, survived a shooting where 20 bullets were fired into his home on May 6, with his wife and five children inside. Surveillance footage showed a young man in a white hoodie firing the shots, which Peacher believes were part of a coordinated attack, though he has no known enemies. The incident left his family traumatized, and he urges the perpetrator to surrender.

A 30-year-old Wayne County man, Peter Caleb-Anthony Qaoud, was arrested on charges of producing and possessing child pornography after the FBI received an anonymous tip about his online threats against minors. FBI investigators found evidence through Instagram's cyber tip to NCMEC, which included explicit messages and videos exchanged with a user claiming to be a 16-year-old girl, leading to a search warrant and his arrest.

Megan King, a 28-year-old Garden City woman, remains physically and emotionally recovering one year after a hit-and-run crash on June 13, 2025, at the intersection of Cherry Hill and Venoy. The unidentified driver struck her in the crosswalk, causing severe injuries, and has not been found. Buffalo Wild Wings in Livonia is hosting a fundraiser for her.

Priority Waste CEO Aaron Johnson acknowledged poor service quality, citing driver shortages, aging equipment, and delayed trash bin deliveries. The company has hired 41 drivers and purchased 91 new trucks to address issues, but cities like St. Clair Shores and Westland are withholding payments or switching providers due to ongoing disruptions.

Overnight storms with wind gusts over 70 mph caused damage across Southeast Michigan, leaving over 20,000 without power. A 6-year-old girl was injured when a tree fell on a home in Dearborn, and a dog died after contacting a downed utility line. Photos document the damage in areas including Dearborn, Detroit, and Westland.