Global Courant 2023-04-29 00:28:34
Detroit police have taken a person of interest into custody following the death of a much-loved neurosurgeon, whose body was found in his home on Sunday.
Police Chief James White said the man was arrested Friday morning on unrelated charges. His name and charges have not been released.
The latest development follows the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office confirming that Dr. Devon Hoover was shot multiple times in the head. His death was ruled a murder.
White said investigators believe Hoover knew the man, but declined to comment further.
“That person is there on an unrelated charge, but we are confident that this person has information about what happened,” the chief told reporters at a news conference.
A family member contacted police on Sunday asking for a welfare check after Hoover failed to show up at an event. The chief said the shooting was “not a random act” and authorities are still investigating a motive.
He asked anyone with information to contact the Detroit Police Department.
“If anyone has information, if they’ve seen anything, we’re still looking for anyone who has information,” he said.
Hoover’s family said in a statement to NBC earlier this week WDIV of Detroit, “We mourn his untimely death and will miss him dearly. We are so grateful for the many kind words and stories from people who were touched by his life. He was a gift from God and used his talents to bless many to be. “
His family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
According to Hoover, he worked as a neurosurgeon at Ascension Hospital WDIVand he lived in the city’s posh Boston Edison District.
Ascension Michigan told the station WXYZ of Detroit that Hoover was a “dedicated and respected member” of the team and will be “dearly missed by our community.”
“Our sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues at this incredibly difficult time,” the hospital said.
Hoover’s death shocked the community, with dozens of former patients, friends and relatives expressing their grief and shock. A Facebook page titled “Justice for Dr. Devon Hooveris filled with touching memories of the doctor.
“He was an amazing human being and this is so tragic,” former patient Dana Collar told NBC News in a phone call. “The lives he touched. Everyone should aspire to be like him, his kindness, his bedside manner. They should have a ‘Dr. Hoover class’ for bedside physicians because he perfect.”
Collar said she was treated by Hoover after breaking her vertebrae in a car accident in 2007. Hoover was the neurosurgeon on duty and suggested they put a halo on her head to hold her neck in place instead of that she was undergoing surgery. Hoover feared surgery would cause her to lose more than 50 percent of her neck’s range of motion, she said.
“I just remember him coming in there and he calmed down right away,” she said. “I couldn’t be put to sleep so I was crazy but I wasn’t out and I just remember laughing with him the whole time. I heard this drill biting into my skull and I kept saying to him “Just don’t touch my brain, Dr. Hoover. Don’t touch my brain.” And he laughed.”
Collar said during the proceedings that she kept asking for Diet Coke. After he finished, Hoover used his own money to buy her a Diet Coke from the vending machine, poured it over ice and brought it to her.
“For some reason, that’s stayed with me all these years,” she said.
Sheryl Leaver, another former patient, told WDIV that he was “just so fabulous and humble”. She said he helped her walk again by performing spinal fusion surgery.
Neighbor Ann Justice told the news station that he was “just the nicest person you never thought something like this would happen to him”.
