detroit yacht club fire

'We intend to rebuild': Manager of historic Harsens Island club damaged by fire

Calls about the fire came into 911 just before 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to St. Clair County’s emergency management division.

Fire and police investigators on Thursday continued to comb through the wreckage of a massive fire that demolished six homes and damaged two others inside a historic resort and yacht club on Harsens Island in Lake St. Clair; the club's general manager said it will rebuild.

The Clay Township Fire Department said in a statement Thursday that it is it was working with the St. Clair County Fire Investigation Team to determine the cause of the blaze that swept through the homes in the 9900 block of South Channel Drive. Two other homes sustained extensive damage.

The homes are primarily vacation residences used in the summer. No one was residing there, club officials said. No injuries were reported and no estimate of damages had been determined, according to authorities.

The club and police were assessing the area, and everyone was overwhelmed by the damage, said Wendy Anglin, general manager of the Old Club, which has 160 members and includes about 50 residences and three harbors. She said Thursday many of the homes have been owned for years and club officials met with police Thursday.

"We are just devastated about this. We intend to bring it all back and rebuild. Our heart goes out to everyone impacted," Anglin said.

Clay Township police were on the scene Thursday morning to assess the area, Anglin said.

Wednesday's blaze marks the second time in nearly a century that fire has significantly damaged the club, which dates back to 1872 when it was founded by a group of prominent Detroit residents who were drawn to the area's fishing and duck hunting opportunities. It was called the St. Clair Flats.

A 1926 fire also destroyed many of club's buildings, including the clubhouse, according to the Detroit Historical Society. The site's dance hall was used as the basis for a new clubhouse.

Chris Knight, first vice president of the Harsens Island Historical Society, said the island has had many fires beyond the two at the Old Club. Once home to many hotels, they've since burned down. Knight said it's one of the challenges of being located on an island and having older structures made of wood.

She recalled a hotel called the Grand Point Hotel that burned to the ground.

There's nothing that could've been done "to stop it," Knight said.

[email protected]

VIDEO: Crews battle massive fire at homes on Harsens Island

(WXYZ) — Crews battled a massive fire at several homes on Harsens Island in Lake St. Clair Wednesday afternoon.

Photo courtesy Michael Krust

The police chief tells 7 Action News that six homes were destroyed. Cleanup efforts are underway.

Chopper 7 was over Lake St. Clair earlier. Check out the video below:

The homes appeared to be part of The Old Club.

According to the website, The Old Club is a resort and yacht club on the island, but it does not appear the fire affected the clubhouse, only cottages on the end of the island.

Video courtesy Michael Krust

Here are some images taken from the sky:

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Yacht club cottages burn on Harsens Island

Multiple structures that are part of a resort and yacht club burned down Wednesday on Harsens Island, a small community in Clay Township in St. Clair County, according to media reports.

The fire burned down six cottages and damaged two others that were part of The Old Club along the St. Clair River, The Detroit News reported .

It was called in shortly before 1 p.m. and mostly put out within an hour or two, according to the Port Huron Times Herald .

No injuries were reported. The Old Club was closed for the season and set to reopen May 20.

"The Old Club is devastated to see the most iconic and historic gems of Harsens Island, the candy colored boardwalk cottages that have stretched to the tip of the island for decades, succumb to destruction by fire ... There were thankfully no injuries other than to our hearts," The Old Club said in a statement.

It said its board of directors was working with specialists to advise on cleaning up and mitigating environmental impact of the fire and engineering experts to begin rebuilding the site.

"Six housing structures of historic significance that have long been family cottages were lost today, but we intend to restore the property back to its historic charm. ...," it said in the statement.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and there was no estimate yet of the damage.

The Clay Township Fire Department and multiple other agencies responded to the fire.

Harsens Island has a population of around 1,000 year-round residents and is accessible only by boat or a car ferry that leaves from Algonac.

The Old Club was formed in 1872 when four Detroit sportsmen met in E. B. Smith's bookstore in downtown Detroit, forming a hunting and fishing club, according to the club website. Founders constructed — on stilts — 26 boathouses and a clubhouse.

The club was available only by water with a regular ferry service that departed from the foot of Woodward Avenue. By 1890, the Great Lakes steamer Tashmoo (capable of carrying up to 4,000 passengers) began its service from Detroit to Port Huron, and the club was one of its regular stops.

This isn't the first time a fire has wreaked havoc on the club. In 1926, 90 percent of the original clubhouse was burned down. It was later replaced.

In 1940, it finally became possible to reach The Old Club by car when the bridge connecting Harsens Island to The Old Club property was completed.

Amenities include a pool and whirlpool, clay tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, trap shooting range, fishing, pickle ball, bocce ball, a spa, water sports and boating. There's also a 24-room Ritz Hotel on the property.

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Roger Penske is still bullish on Detroit as he talks QLine, NFL Draft, Belle Isle

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Grosse Ile first responders battle blaze at Ford Yacht Club

GROSSE ILE, Mich. - A fire broke out at a downriver yacht club early Wednesday morning.

Around 6:30 a.m., Grosse Ile Police and Fire personnel responded to 29500 Southpointe Rd. where a boat fire was reported.

Footage from the Ford Yacht Club showed a blaze tearing through two docked boat with smoke billowing from the vehicle.

Ford Yacht Club fire

First responders located the two vessels in the "F-Dock" area of the port. 

Video of the incident showed fire fighters navigating around the blaze. An officer with the police department said steps were taken to make sure the fire did not extend to other boats or docks as they worked to get it under control.

Nobody was on the vessels at the time of the fire and nobody was hurt.

The fire remains under investigation.

‘Nothing left’: After California Yacht Club fire, residents mourn loss of a beloved spot

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In an instant, an overnight seaside blaze engulfed decades’ worth of boating trophies, historical artifacts and cherished memorabilia at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey on Monday.

Fire crews attempted to control the blaze as heavy smoke and flames consumed the two-story building. By the time they had subdued the fire two hours later, only the skeletal remnants of the clubhouse were left standing.

John Myers, senior vice president of the club, said the blaze had been reported by an employee working late in the clubhouse Monday night. The fire spared the remainder of the facilities on the ground, including the docks and the yachts moored there. But the clubhouse, and particularly its second floor, was all but wiped out.

“We are working closely with the Los Angeles County Fire Department in their investigation of the cause of the incident and will share those findings when they become available to us,” Myers said.

Members are left mourning, comparing the loss to the death of a loved one.

Jennifer Dakoske Koslu awoke in Rancho Mirage at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, before the sun had risen, to find her phone inundated with text messages from club members.

The first message she read simply stated, “The CYC is gone.”

“As soon as I opened my phone, it went to a link on the Citizen app and saw a video of the club burning. I was shocked,” Dakoske Koslu said.

For the last 24 years, Dakoske Koslu and her family have been dedicated members of the CYC, whose clubhouse is a few miles away from their home in Playa del Rey. She said it is where her children have grown up, familiarizing themselves with every inch.

“I remember taking my son there on the Fourth of July when he was just 3 weeks old. It was the first place we went with him as a newborn,” Dakoske Koslu said.

She and her husband biked to the club in the aftermath of the fire, greeted by the charred remains of the building on Wednesday afternoon.

“The destruction is unbelievable. It’s clear that the fire was burning intensely on the second floor,” Dakoske Koslu said. “There’s nothing left.”

The second floor once housed a collection of the club’s prestigious racing trophies, kept on display for members and visitors. The fire melted all but a single salvageable California Cup. Most notably, the priceless King of Spain Trophy, acquired in 1929 from King Alfonso XIII, was lost.

Additionally, the club lost cherished photographs of every past commodore, a significant position within a yacht club. Members said they didn’t know if anyone had digitized the images of the commodores or of the club’s founders.

“We would tell yachting stories at the bar around lots of memorabilia, and the yachting artifacts behind the bar are all gone now,” Tom Materna said. “The yacht club provided us a facility for the off-the-water celebrations after hard-fought competition on the water.”

The CYC dates to the early 1920s, started by boat owners from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs. The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the first clubhouse in 1922, designed by famed architect Edwin Bergstrom, co-designer of the Pentagon.

In 1965, the yacht club submitted a proposal for an all-encompassing $1-million, two-story, 10,000-square-foot clubhouse on four acres off Admiralty Way. Members envisioned a state-of-the-art facility with 170 boat slips, a guest dock, a small boat hoist and a dry land storage facility for boats. The clubhouse that resulted was dedicated on June 10, 1967.

Then-Commodore William A. DeGroot Jr. told The Times that the triangular parcel of land on which the clubhouse still sits is a “perfectly logical place for a club facility, and a commanding view down the main channel of the marina.”

Though the building has historical significance to its members, it does not have a historic designation, according to Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and so grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and our members,” Myers said. “CYC has been a beacon for the nautical community for the past 101 years.”

Materna, 68, first found out about the fire through Facebook as friends posted videos and photos of the damage Tuesday morning. Then he began receiving calls and text messages from friends.

“Everybody woke up in the morning and realized we’d lost a significant part of the sailing community,” Materna said.

His connection to the club dates back nearly 52 years, to when he was just 16 years old. After spending 30 years sailing professionally with Hobie Cats, mainly racing catamarans — a watercraft with two parallel hulls of equal size — he recently served as a crew member on other club members’ racing yachts.

The CYC is pivotal in the boat racing community, organizing and hosting events such as the Optimist National Championship and Junior Olympic trials, Materna said. He fondly remembers the hundreds of people from across the globe converging on the marina for similar events.

The main topic among members now is what’s next for the club. Dakoske Koslu noted that the club’s ownership changed over the last few years, and many are unsure and concerned about the club’s continuation after the fire.

The club relocated to the marina in 1967, leasing the land it sits on from the county.

“I don’t think the county has really valued the contributions of the California Yacht Club as an important part of the Marina. They value Trader Joe’s because it’s more money for them,” Dakoske Koslu said.

Dakoske Koslu said she’s seen numerous small marine-oriented businesses displaced from the marina, making way for more commercialized developments such as Trader Joe’s and Recreational Equipment Inc.

More to Read

Monterey Park shooting survivors dance again in sadness, solidarity: ‘Nothing can kill our spirit’

Jan. 22, 2024

Fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

Dec. 12, 2023

After 24 days, officials declare Tustin hangar fire ‘fully extinguished’

Dec. 2, 2023

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Belle Isle Boathouse information

On this page.

Request for letters of intent Public comment process - summary and FAQs About the Belle Isle Boathouse Investments in the boathouse since 2014 Overall Belle Isle investments Investment in historic structures on Belle Isle Timeline of degradation and assessments Options for future of boathouse Decision criteria Timeline for decision Photo gallery

The DNR is reviewing options for the deteriorated Belle Isle Boathouse, located on the Detroit River at Belle Isle Park, and has created this project page for those interested in learning more about proposed options and associated costs. We expect to make a decision regarding the future of the boathouse in spring 2024.

Request for letters of intent

We are now accepting letters of intent from interested parties who can outline viable proposals for potential rehabilitation.

Letter of intent information

Public comment process - summary and FAQs

We invited visitors, community members, stakeholders and others to share feedback and questions via an online comment form. We have created a summary of public comments and answers to common questions.

Read the summary View the FAQs

About the Belle Isle Boathouse

The Detroit Boat Club, a private club with facilities on Belle Isle since 1891, built the current boathouse (not to be confused with the Detroit Yacht Club) in 1902 using fireproof materials as previous boathouses were lost due to fire. It is one of the oldest concrete structures in the country. However, the building has become susceptible to water damage due to lack of maintenance over the past several decades, with a 15-foot section of a deteriorating porch slab collapsing in early 2022.

In 2015, the Friends of Detroit Rowing entered into a lease with the DNR to continue their rowing programming at the boathouse. The lease acknowledged significant investment and a robust physical assessment would be needed:

• 2006 cost estimates: $20 million
• 2019 cost estimates: $43 million

To date, little community interest and a very small amount of private investment has been secured to stabilize the facility.

Investments in the boathouse since 2014

Since the DNR assumed management of Belle Isle in 2014, a total of $604,607 has been invested in the boathouse. Of that:

• 67% ($405,000) was from public funds (assessments).
• 33% ($199,607) was from private funds (roof repairs, new boiler, windows, west upper porch wall removal, misc.).

Private fundraising efforts over the past decade have been unsuccessful in raising a sufficient amount of money to rehabilitate and maintain the building.

Overall Belle Isle investments

Since 2014, there has been very little private funding for Belle Isle overall.

Of the total investment in capital outlay (the funds used to acquire, upgrade or repair property and buildings) on the island, the majority comes from public funds (which includes state funds and federal grants):

• Public funding: over $101 million ( 87% )
• Private funding: under $15 million ( 13% )

Belle Isle historic structures investment

The DNR has put a strong focus on preserving public historic facilities on the island, investing more than $52 million into a variety of historic structures over the years. Below are some examples of some of these investments:

James Scott Memorial Fountain

Investment - $8 million

• Accessible ramp
• Electric and mechanical upgrades
• Operational manual developed
• Structural assessment and repairs

Belle Isle Casino

Investment - $7.6 million

• Roof replacement
• Fire suppression replacement
• Elevator modernization
• Loggia resurfacing

Belle Isle Aquarium and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory

Investment - $27.5 million

• Building assessments
• HVAC engineering for aquarium and heating and ventilation for conservatory
• Conservatory structural repairs
• Aquarium roof repairs
• Sewer line replacement
• Sidewalk replacement

Timeline of degradation and assessments

The City of Detroit, Friends of Detroit Rowing and the DNR commissioned several building and site assessments throughout the past 16 years. The two most recent were done in 2019 and again in 2022 (after the building was condemned).

2019 building assessment

The Friends of Detroit Rowing contracted SmithGroup/HR&A to prepare a physical assessment of the boathouse building and site and to develop a master plan to address the sustainability of the facility. Prior to initiating the study, the boathouse experienced significant flooding from the Detroit River. While this was an unfortunate occurrence it helped to underscore some of the unique challenges confronting the boathouse.

Read the SmithGroup assessment

2022 building assessment

The boathouse suffered a major setback when a 15-foot section of a deteriorating porch slab collapsed due to water damage. That, combined with several other issues (significant deterioration including a caved-in roof, falling exterior stucco, deteriorated steel and concrete structural members and other structural needs) lead the DNR to condemn the building. This prompted a second assessment, done by MacMillan Associates Inc/WTA Architects.

Read the MacMillan/WTA Architects assessment

With limited funds available, the DNR faces the difficult decision of investing in a portion of the necessary structural repairs needed without a long-term solution or removing the building and repurposing the space.

Option one - structure removal: $2 million

$2 million in funding was approved by the Michigan legislature to address the boathouse. This amount would cover the removal of the boathouse. The scope of work required includes the following:

• Hazardous material abatement
• Building removal

Option two - rehabilitation: $43 million

As shown in the assessments from 2019 and 2022, a significant amount of funding would be necessary to rehabilitate the building, including:

• Site stabilization and remediation: $12,053,000
• Exterior envelope remediation and rehabilitation: $10,535,000
• Interior building systems upgrade: $13,276,000
• Interior rehabilitation/renovation: $6,854,000
• Final site and landscape improvements: $1,182,000

Total: $43,900,000

Developed by SmithGroup 2019

Decision criteria

When deciding the future of the boathouse, the health, safety and welfare of park visitors and staff must be taken into consideration, as well as fiscal responsibility for managing all park infrastructure needs.

Boathouse repairs represent just one of many proposed projects under consideration for long-term feasibility at Belle Isle Park. Overall, it’s estimated that at least $200 million is needed to address critical repairs island-wide, including the following:

• Belle Isle Aquarium and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (1904)
• James Scott Memorial Fountain (1920)
• Athletic Shelter (1899)
• Belle Isle Beach house
• Comfort station, restroom updates

Timeline for decision

Funding timeline.

• The state legislature approved $2 million to address the Belle Isle Boathouse.
• This funding is American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and therefore has strict timelines to be encumbered and spent.
• The $2 million must be allocated by end of 2024 and spent by end of 2026.

Collapsed ceiling in the oar storage room. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

Deterioration in the ballroom, north facing window shows evidence of the building’s structurally compromised condition. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

Deterioration of steel and concrete floor slab illustrate building’s compromised structural integrity. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

The exterior brick walls have significantly deteriorated due to stucco spalling off and exposing brick material. Several steel lintels bear on masonry where much of the brick has spalled off leaving a reduced support area. Many of these steel lintels are severely rusted. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

At this northeast corner, much of the brick support columns are severely deteriorated, cracked and spalled. The parapet wall leans outward above the deck level. This wall is susceptible to failure and therefore necessitates a clearance area around the building. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

In areas where stucco does not exist over the exterior brick, there are areas with a paint finish. Where the paint coating is missing or in poor condition, accelerated deterioration of the brick masonry has occurred. The steel stairs at the north elevation of the building are deteriorated, rusted and in a state of partial collapse. The stairs do not meet the building code for railings and should not be used for egress of the building. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

The rowing club’s growing fleet has long outgrown the boathouse’s storage capacity. More than half of the boats had to be stored outside, vulnerable to the inclement weather. The FODR have contracted consultants to complete a design for a sufficient storage facility. Construction schedule is pending. (Photo credit, FODR.)

Exterior deterioration of steel and concrete decking. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

The end of several steel lintels bear on deteriorated brick. Many of these steel lintels are severely rusted. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

Spalling stucco and deteriorated masonry. Sections of the railing around the flat roof are deteriorated and missing. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

Porch deck cracking and showing signs of deterioration. (Source: WTA MacMillan Associates, Inc, Belle Isle Boathouse, September 2022.)

Deboned stucco and deteriorated masonry on the west wall. The second level porch structure was removed in 2016, due to its unstable condition.

Related content

Read the 12/5/2023 press release

After the fire: St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club focused on revitalizing this coming summer

P ANAMA CITY — In November, the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club building on Bunkers Cove Road was destroyed in a fire. Ever since then, questions have circulated around the community: How did the fire start? Would the Yacht Club rebuild?

The Yacht Club was up and operational for business within weeks of the fire. The Yacht Club is still taking in new members, as well. Members have joined the club even after the fire.

”The Yacht Club is in better shape than people would have imagined,” said Michael Wynn, 2024 commodore. “The staff members that we have are family to us. We believe and give to them and they give back to us.”

Wynn explained that one club member had this to say after the fire: “The clubhouse was just a building; the Yacht Club is about the people.”

The Yacht Club has discussed expanding its sailing center to provide greater resources for the community. The club expects the plans and renderings for the new club facility will be unveiled this summer.

Some of the staff members have left the club since the incident and others have stayed.

“Our staff is smaller now since the fire,” said Wynn. “We have less services being offered at the moment, but many staffers who left the club for other jobs have offered to come back once the club becomes (fully) operational again.”

The cause of the fire is still unknown. There have been different ideas and theories on how the fire started, but there has not been a definitive answer. But there was no foul play, Wynn emphasized.

”Right now, we don’t have a final number on what it’s going to cost to rebuild,” said Wynn. “We have architects and plans on rebuilding. We have members of the community who are donating services to help cut the cost (of our rebuild).”

More information about the club will be released closer to the clubhouse reopening. Wynn said the rebuild will both honor the club's history and heritage and also add modern touches.

Previous coverage: More details released as Panama City monitors St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club fire site

Wynn said the club's experience dealing with insurance after the fire has been good and the matter soon will be resolved. The experience was much better than the ones many people had after Hurricane Michael, he noted.

Wynn also is humbled and gratified by the outpouring of support and dedication from his fellow club leaders and all club members. He knew his one-year term as commodore, which began in January, would be full of challenges. But the club has rallied because the tradition and legacy mean so much.

"People care so deeply," he said.

News Herald Editor Jim Ross contributed to this report

[email protected]

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: After the fire: St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club focused on revitalizing this coming summer

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Video: Gunman fires at crowd outside Detroit blues club after parking dispute

5 people injured, expected to be ok.

Cassidy Johncox , Senior News Editor

DETROIT – Five people where shot early Friday when a gunman opened fire on a crowd outside a Detroit bar following a dispute over a parking space.

An argument over a parking spot outside of Chicago Blu’z Bar & Grill in Detroit turned physical, and then violent early Friday, March 29. Detroit police say at around 2:45 a.m., a man involved in the dispute left, came back with a gun, and fired on the crowd outside the blues club.

Five people were injured and rushed to two nearby hospitals. Each of them were in stable condition and expected to survive, Assistant Detroit police Chief Charles Fitzgerald told reporters early Friday.

Only one of the five people shot was believed to be involved in the argument over the parking space. The other four were believed to be bystanders, Fitzgerald said.

Investigators found at least 7-8 casings in the parking lot of the club. There were more people standing in the parking lot who weren’t injured.

The shooter -- whose identity was not yet known -- drove off in an SUV that was parked in the middle of the street in front of the bar. Surveillance video shows the man firing into the crowd, running back to the vehicle, and driving off.

You can watch the surveillance footage in the video player up above.

Detroit police were still searching for the shooter as of early Friday afternoon. Fitzgerald said they were looking for a dark SUV, possibly a Hyundai, that was driven by the shooter.

Police were also planning to look into why the blues club was open as late as it was. Fitzgerald told reporters that the owner did not have a permit for extended hours, and that the bar shouldn’t have been open that late.

Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

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Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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Watch: Local 4 News at 6 p.m. : Mar 30, 2024

Hitting the court with the shelby pistons, blake farms in armada hosts easter weekend activities, watch: weekend morning show on local 4 : mar 30, 2024, watch: local 4 news at 11 p.m. : mar 29, 2024.

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Founded shortly after the Civil War, the Detroit Yacht Club (DYC), housed in the beautifully restored 1920s Mediterranean style villa, continues to be one of the largest yacht clubs in the United States.

The 1920s were golden days for the DYC. Gar Wood brought the club world class attention with his world speed records in a hydroplane and his Gold Cup victories. During the Great Depression, membership at the club severely dropped and some services were discontinued.

By 1946 the Club became debt free and the women of the club formed the first women’s sailing organization in the country and raced the Club’s catboats. During the 1950’s the Grill and River Vista were enlarged, movie equipment was installed in the ballroom so that theater quality films could be shown every Sunday evening and a little later, an outdoor Olympic size pool was added along with Front and West Docks to increase the number of boat wells to over 350.

Today the DYC offers a wide range of activities to ensure there is something for everyone.

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5 injured in shooting outside a Detroit blues club over a parking spot dispute, police say

Five people were wounded early Friday morning in a shooting outside a bar in west Detroit following an argument over a parking spot, police said.

The confrontation had occurred outside the blues club and became physical before a male suspect left the area and returned with a gun, the Detroit Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY.

"When he came back he brought a gun, as most cowards do, and he opened fire on the crowd" Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald told reporters. "Senseless, it's just ridiculous."

The five people who were wounded ranged in ages between 33-49, Fitzgerald said. All the victims were transported to one of two different area hospitals for treatment and are expected to survive their injuries, he added.

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Surveillance video shows shooter flee scene in dark SUV

Detroit police were dispatch at 2:45 p.m. to the parking lot of a blues bar after the shooting occurred.

Surveillance footage released by police shows the suspect firing what appears to be a handgun before fleeing the scene in a dark-colored sports-utility vehicle. Police believe the vehicle is a Hyundai, said Fitzgerald, who briefed the media Friday morning at the location, video of which police provided to USA TODAY.

Detectives interviewed witnesses to determine that the shooting stemmed from an argument and fight that had taken place outside the bar over a parking spot, Fitzgerald said.

Though the investigation is still ongoing, police believe at least one of the victims may have been involved in the fight, while the other four were bystanders, Fitzgerald said. The shooter acted alone and officers found seven or eight casings in the parking lot.

"For five people to get shot over a parking spot is silly," Fitzgerald said.

Detroit blues club was not supposed to be open

The blues club does not have a permit for extended hours and should not have been open, according to police.

Fitzgerald said police plan to investigate why the club was open.

"Obviously this blues club should not have been open at 2:45 where they're arguing for a parking spot," Fitzgerald said.