Latest news with #TeamPursuit
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
'We need everybody': Detroit leaders mobilize after child, teen killed in triple shooting
Samir Josiah Grubbs, 4, didn't have time to even make it up the slide's ladder at the Skinner Playfield next to Denby High School in Detroit before he was shot to death. He beat his mom, Jasmine Grubbs, out of the car once they got to the park on June 27 — "that was his thing," she said — and raced towards the slide. They'd only been at the playground for a minute before gunfire erupted. She remembers everything in slow motion: Samir climbing, then shot in the back. Grubbs feels empty now, because to everyone else, Samir was a 4-year-old boy, but to her, "Samir Josiah Grubbs was my everything. He was my world," she said while she returned to Skinner Playfield days after her son was killed, holding a small toy car he left in her bed. In response to the bloodshed, Team Pursuit, a community violence intervention group in the area, mobilized CVI leaders from all over the city to Skinner Playfield on Monday, June 30 to demand more from the community — including themselves, parents, lawmakers and decision makers — to help the city's youth, to prevent more loss of life. "We're going to touch every single household in this community. We are hitting the block — today," Quincy Smith, executive director of Team Pursuit, told the crowd at Skinner Playfield. Samir wasn't the only victim of Friday's triple shooting. An 18-year-old boy, Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey, was killed, too. His father, Joseph Shelmonson-Bey, said the teen was always helping others, so he wasn't surprised to hear from witnesses that his son pushed a friend out of the way, the fatal rounds hitting his son instead. A 17-year-old was also shot but survived. Detroit police had two people of interest in custody shortly after the shooting, but they've since been released, the department confirmed Monday. They're asking for anyone with information to come forward. "We are still asking the community for their help in providing any information, video footage and anything additional that can assist in the investigation," said Jasmin Barmore, a spokesperson for Detroit police. More: 4-year-old child, teenager killed in triple shooting at park by Denby High School More: Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison: 'We're going to have a clean and safe summer.' The violence intervention groups at Skinner Playfield had flyers with information on resources, like Team Pursuit's summer youth engagement program called "Protect the Zone," to hand out to neighbors. But before they set out, Smith recalled the moment he heard the news of Friday's tragedy. "I said, 'another 4-year-old?'" Smith said. "My heart broke because I'm tired of it. You should be tired of it ... No more staying at home and watching the news and saying 'that's a damn shame.' We need everybody." Joseph Shelmonson-Bey said he doesn't want another father to have to lose a child like he had. For him, that requires accountability. Shelmonson-Bey and Grubbs went to Skinner Playfield with violence intervention groups to share what it's like to lose a child − "I can't even explain it," the father said. "As community, we need to hold ourselves accountable ... We need to speak out," Shelmonson-Bey said. More: $200 dispute may have sparked shooting that injured 2 during Detroit fireworks, police say Before the group assembled at Skinner Playfield went door to door, Maurice Hardwick, known as "Pastor Moe" made a promise to Detroit on behalf of the CVI leaders at the park: "Change is coming. Now, now, now." Phillip Sample, joined by dozens of others who have been doing the work for years to ensure their neighborhoods are safe, was energized when the group took to the streets surrounding Skinner Playfield to pass out flyers. He gave them to everyone he saw, like those in the three cars pulling out of the Family Dollar on Payton and Morang. As for the homes that went unanswered, he left flyers at their doors. Sandy Turner of 4820Live, a longtime organizer in the neighborhood, was energized, too. What brought her to the streets that day isn't different from why Skinner Playfield was built in the first place. It was built by the community in 2016 with safety as its purpose, she said. "We built the playground for these babies ... Who would have thought that somebody was senseless enough to shoot by a playscape? A playscape," she said. But when they reached the playground where the shooting occurred, Sample, Turner, and the rest of the group became solemn. Sample said where they now stood was hallowed ground — it was the spot where a dispute ended in bloodshed, taking the lives of Samir, who loved to play and jump on his mother's bed in the mornings, and Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey, who took anyone in need in as a brother or sister, who his father loved raising. So it was there that Sample decided the group would pray for the lives lost, for justice and for peace. Pastor Moe was one of the clergymen who led a prayer. When he did, he got on his hands and knees, other men followed suit. "We touch this ground, this blood on this ground. We honor the life of this baby. We honor the lives of our children," he cried aloud. Sample was among the men on the ground, now in tears. The group would chime in: "yes, yes." It was Dujuan "Zoe" Kennedy of Force Detroit, though, that wouldn't let the group leave without remembering what Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey's father had demanded. "Look who's out here right now," Kennedy said. To those who didn't show up: "Hold them accountable," he said. Turner, Sample, and others will be back in the neighborhood on Tuesday, passing out flyers and sharing resources. Team Pursuit will have officially launched its "Protect the Zone" youth program. And Grubbs and Shelmonson-Bey will still hope their grief will actually prompt change. Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit leaders mobilize after child, teen killed in triple shooting
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
2 suspects arrested in fatal shooting of child, teen at Skinner Playfield in Detroit
Two suspects were arrested Wednesday, July 2 in connection to the triple shooting at Detroit's Skinner Playfield that took the lives of a 4-year-old and teenager, police confirmed. Charges against the two suspects have yet to be announced by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Detroit police had arrested two people in connection with the shooting shortly after the incident June 27, but they'd been released. No further information on the arrests was released by Detroit Police Department Sgt. Daron Zhou. Samir Josiah Grubbs, 4, was at the park next to Denby High School with his mother and siblings when he was shot to death before he could make it up the playground slide's ladder. Dayvion Shelmonson-Bey, 18, was also killed. A 17-year-old was also shot and survived. More: 'We need everybody': Detroit leaders mobilize after child, teen killed in triple shooting More: Police searching for man who shot fellow passenger on DDOT bus in Detroit A dispute is believed to be the reason behind the bloodshed, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison previously said. It's a tragedy in Detroit that has once again propelled community members and violence intervention groups into action. A few days after the shooting, Team Pursuit and other violence intervention groups went door-to-door in the neighborhood passing out resources, including a summer youth engagement Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 suspects arrested in fatal shooting of child, teen at Detroit park
The Guardian
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Geraint Thomas: ‘It's been up and down. You remember the good times'
'B ike racing is all I have ever known,' says Geraint Thomas of the 19-year professional career that will end this summer with one final Tour de France and a farewell appearance in the Tour of Britain. While many of his peers are relishing a Tadej Pogacar-free Giro d'Italia that starts on Friday, the 2018 Tour winner has opted against three weeks in Italy, favouring one last ride in July's French hothouse. Thomas's racing career was founded on success in Olympic track racing: he won team pursuit gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. But it developed into memorable victories on the road at the Tour de France, Paris-Nice, the Tours of Switzerland and Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné. He has achieved far more than he ever expected, when, he says, as a teenager, he was 'dreaming about national titles'. There have been many near misses, most painfully in the 2023 Giro, when he let the race lead slip to Primoz Roglic on the penultimate day. Not for the first time, there were tears. 'It's certainly been up and down but you just remember the good times,' he says. 'Even the bad times are character building, by getting through them, learning from it and growing from it. It makes you stronger for sure.' In modern racing there is little scope for sentiment, but he says his final-season schedule allows a little leeway for races that bring out the romantic in him. 'It's a combination of both. There's a bit of romance in it, but it is still about racing, preparation and being as good as I can for July.' For a rider who once rode a whole Tour de France with a broken pelvis, resilience and durability have always been his strongest suits. He has been taken out by discarded bottles, in-race motorbikes, freak wind gusts and, occasionally, his peers. As his former coach and mentor Rod Ellingworth said: 'There's no bullshit with Geraint. That's what I've always liked with him.' Thomas's focus is on racing with honour in one final Tour de France. He will be 39 when the race starts in Lille on 5 July; has he still got that famed resilience and durability? Geraint Thomas led the 2023 Giro but finished second behind Primoz Roglic. Photograph: Tim'A lot of it is in the head. Obviously it's physical as well, but I still want to do it. I still want to perform well and be there in the final week. It's all about going in, in the best shape you can, and once you're in it, about your mental approach and staying strong and positive. 'It's a different mindset this year as I'm not going for the general classification. It's been a little too relaxed maybe, so it's time to knuckle down, diet and everything.' Thomas has seen generations of riders morph physically as performance data, technology and nutrition have increasingly taken hold. 'Bike riders have always been skinny,' he says. 'It's more the whole package. Everyone is just stronger. Everyone is training better. 'Losing those few kilos makes a big difference these days. They always have done, but even more so now the whole peloton is getting better. Before, it was just a couple of people in every team going to altitude or whatever, but now it's whole teams that are on it.' Thomas will leave Ineos Grenadiers in a better place than 12 months ago, when internal wrangles and uncertainty over the future of Tom Pidcock – now with the Q36.5 team – led to tension. Last July, Thomas had bemoaned a lack of 'clarity' and likened the Ineos Grenadiers team management to a 'coalition government'. But he is quick to dismiss any suggestion that the Pidcock polemics stalled the team's progress. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion 'I don't think whatever issues Tom had were the reason for the whole team lacking a couple of results. I miss him, he'd still be great to have around. He's still riding well, isn't he?' (left to right): Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Pete Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas with their team pursuit gold medals at London 2012. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian 'The narrative around the team is a big thing. I stay in my own little bubble, most of the time, and I've still been able to be successful. Now that there are more positive stories about the way the team is racing, that also helps. When people are writing negative stuff all the time it's easy to believe it.' There are rumours Thomas will move into management with Ineos Grenadiers soon after he retires. 'It's been mentioned, but it's something I haven't spoken properly about. I love cycling and the team, so would love to stay involved in some capacity. 'I've been used to targeting races and going after something and really dedicating myself, so if I just go home to Cardiff, take Max to school and do nothing the rest of the day, I'll go insane after a week. 'I think I've got a lot to offer on performance and going after bike races. There'd be a lot to learn as well, which is also exciting. It all depends on the role I'd end up doing, but that's the type of challenge I'd be looking for.' His final race, the Tour of Britain, due to end in Cardiff on 7 September, will take him back to where it all began. 'It'll be amazing,' he says. 'It will be full circle: finishing my career on the roads in Cardiff. There will be lots of friends and family there. I can't think of a better way to finish.'
