Detroit -- Detroit's City Council President tells the city's mayor he's got some 'splainin' to do.
A person familiar with the situation says Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is firing Police Chief James Barren.
The move comes a day after a man arrested in the shooting of seven teenagers at a Detroit bus stop was released due to lack of evidence. Barren had said the 18-year-old man was identified as a suspect after investigators spoke with victims of Tuesday's shooting and another person with knowledge of the incident.
No other arrests have been made in the case.
A mayor's office spokeswoman says there are no announcements regarding police department changes ``at this time.''
However, a statement released late Friday by City Council President Ken Cockrel Junior says otherwise. Cockrel's statement calls the sudden departure of Police Chief Barren ``a tragedy for the department and for the city."
In his statement, Cockrel praised Barren and said he ``looks forward to having Mayor Bing address council as to why this decision was made and made so abruptly."
Cockrel appointed Barren in September while serving as Interim Mayor for the city after Kwame Kilpatrick plead guilty to perjury and stepped down to serve a prison sentence.
Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans is said to be replacing Barren as Chief of Detroit Police no later than Tuesday.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
