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"It was the most security ever at a fireworks."

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero is still in disbelief that a woman is dead after being shot Wednesday at the Adado Riverfront Park fireworks show.

Twice as many cops were at Adado as last year, screening every single person. But still, a tragedy happened for the second year in a row. Last year, a woman was seriously burned by a M-80 firework, which was tossed by a man near her.

"Obviously we're concerned, but this is pretty much a fluke, freak accident," continued Bernero.

Captain Daryl Green of the Lansing Police says at this point, they have no reason to believe this 34-year-old woman was being targeted: "The preliminary finding of this investigation suggests that the person responsible, that had the weapon, more than likely fired that weapon outside of the park."

Although police are still investigating if she was shot on purpose, they are also taking a close look at all the calls they took that night, reporting shots fired.

"The detective bureau is investigating all those complaints that came in, and we're sending detectives out to talk to the callers," said Green.

He says it's likely a stray bullet, fired by someone carelessly celebrating Independence Day, hit her at random.

But even if that's the case, police and the Mayor have already come up with a plan to add security to Common Ground beginning at Adado Monday.

"We'll have the majority of our police department working throughout the Common Ground week," said Green.

"It's all hands on deck," said Bernero. "I think Common Ground has a great track record in safety and I think that will continue."

Both promising they're doing everything they can to make sure the festival is as safe as possible.

Since this could be the result of a stray bullet, police are asking anyone who noticed anyone firing a gun anywhere in Lansing Wednesday evening, to give them a call. You can leave your tips anonymously.

 

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LANSING - A woman who was shot in the head at Adado Riverfront Park in downtown Lansing Wednesday night has died. The woman was attending the city's annual July 4th fireworks show when she was struck by a bullet.

An earlier statement from police says "Preliminary findings don't appear to demonstrate that the responsible weapon was discharged within close proximity of the victim."

Police say at about 9:45PM they were notified of a woman who appeared to be having a seizure by the boat docking area of the park. The 34-year-old woman was taken to the hospital, where it was discovered that she had a bullet wound in her head. A new statement from police Thursday afternoon says that the woman died shortly after 10 o'clock this morning.

Police have called in the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms to assist in the investigation. They are searching video from cameras of nearby buildings and scouring the area in and around the park.

The Lansing police is urgently seeing the public to assist with any information relating to this shooting. Persons that were within close proximity of the victim or may have information about someone discharging a firearm within the City are asked to call Detective Mark Lewandowsky at (517) 483-6859 or contact the police tip line at 483-STOP.

Mayor Bernero is personally pleading for the public's help. "It is a shock to us all that something like this could happen after we took such extensive precautions to keep everyone safe. We deployed nearly 100 police officers throughout the park and screened every single person who entered, yet an innocent bystander was still gravely injured by the reckless discharge of a firearm. Although it is still early in the investigation, it does not appear that the shot was fired from within the park. I implore anyone with information that could help us bring the perpetrator to justice to contact the Lansing Police Department immediately."

Lansing police have not yet released the name of the victim. She was a Lansing resident.

 

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Lansing's Mayor Virg Bernero has made a statement regarding the shooting incident that occurred near or during the 4th of July celebration in Adado Riverfront Park Wednesday night.

“It is a shock to us all that something like this could happen after we took such extensive precautions to keep everyone safe,” Bernero said in the statement. “We deployed nearly 100 police officers throughout the park and screened every single person who entered, yet an innocent bystander was still gravely injured by the reckless discharge of a firearm.”

He also added: "Words are not adequate to express the anger we all feel over this senseless act of violence."

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A woman is shot in the head, and Lansing Police think it may have happened at Adado Riverfront Park.

About a half hour before the fireworks were to begin Wednesday night, a man approached officers in the park and told them a woman near the boat docking area was having a seizure.

She was rushed to the hospital, but the hospital later notified police that there was a bullet in the 34-year old woman's head.

Her injuries are considered life threatening.

Police don't think the gun was fired near the woman and they're asking anyone who heard gun shots, or has information about someone shooting a gun within the city last night, to give them a call.