At least one person saw the mortally wounded Eastern Michigan University football player Demarius Reed lying in an apartment building stairwell last Friday but thought he’d just passed out from a party and didn’t call for help.
Interim Ypsilanti Police Chief Tony DeGiusti also announced Tuesday that at least six people heard gunshots in the moments before the player and others saw a fight in a parking lot.
Those six didn’t call police either.
Police say it wasn’t until Reed’s roommate happened upon the body that the death was reported, around 7:15am.
Police have released these new details after a resident of a building near where Reed was murdered reported being pistol whipped by an attacker who knocked on his door a few days after Reed’s death.
There have a total of four attacks near campus in recent days, including two sexual assaults.
‘This has been an extremely bizarre and unusual series of events these past few days with senseless, random acts of violence,’ said university President Sue Martin.
Police are offering $5,000 for clues to the killer’s identity and say they’re looking for anyone who attended a party at the off-campus University Green apartments where he was found dead.
The 20-year-old communications junior major from Chicago was shot multiple times Friday in what police say may have been a robbery.
So far, about 30 people have been interviewed by police, multiple pieces of evidence have been collected and several homes have been searched, MLive.com reported.
‘Police can’t be everywhere,’ Eastern Michigan Police Chief Robert Heighes told the forum. ‘It’s a collaborative effort. We need the support of our community.’
The authorities say the investigation is bearing fruit.
‘We are actively working some solid leads,’ DeGiusti said. ‘We are diligently working on this case.’
Teammates plan to attend Reed’s funeral Saturday in Harvey, Ill. A visitation is scheduled for Friday.
A moment of silence was held for Reed before Saturday’s home game against Ohio, and team captains led the team out of the locker room holding his No. 2 jersey aloft. Players wore helmet decals and jersey patches with Reed’s number on them.
Homicide: Reed’s body was found in the hallway of this apartment complex
The 5-foot-10-inch, 161-pound wide receiver played in six games this season, catching 15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.
He made 18 receptions for 171 yards in nine games last season. He scored one touchdown.
Investigators spent around five hours at the scene this morning and could be seen through a window in the stairwell of the hallway where police said the body was found.
Several residents of the apartment complex who entered and exited the building’s east side entrance Friday morning told The Ann Arbor News they did not hear any gunshots overnight.
Kristy Stanford, an Eastern Michigan University student who lives in the building to CBS News she said she heard a large group of people a party on Thursday night.
She said they were preparing to leave for a party elsewhere. She was questioned by police Friday morning.
‘The police asked us questions like was it a party last night, did you hear gunshots or was there anyone lingering around.’
A woman who was brought to the scene by Ypsilanti police detectives cried out in the parking lot just before the body was brought out.
The woman is believed to be one of Reed’s family members.
People who knew the star player have been paying tribute to him.
Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Heather Lyke said that Reed was a good person to have in the sporting community.
‘Demarius was an influential leader who thrived in the classroom and on the field. Everyone gravitated to him and often described him as the ‘life of the locker room.’ Our hearts go out to Demarius’ family. We are doing all we can to help and support them along with the rest of our student-athletes.’
EMU President Susan Martin released the following statement on Friday afternoon:
‘We are all deeply saddened by the tragic news this morning involving Eastern Michigan University student Demarius Reed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, and his teammates on the football team.’
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