15-year-old girl shot; 3 men in custody

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) - A 15-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was shot on Monday evening.

According to police, charges are pending for three men who were arrested in connection with the shooting.

24 Hour News 8 has learned from friends and family in their Kentwood neighborhood they are 22-year-old Pedro Angel Bonilla, 21-year-old Evelio Ruiz Ruiz, and 19-year-old Damon Shamarry Raines.

"[They're] cool," friend Tae Jones said about the three suspects. "They wanted to keep everybody out of trouble... we always used to play ball at the park. They [were] just cool. They wanted to keep everybody out of trouble."  

The victim, whose identity is also being withheld, suffered a single gunshot wound to her torso. The bullet entered on one side of her body in the area beneath the arm and exited out the other side. She is being treated at Metro Hospital in Wyoming.

Friends and family in the neighborhood said the suspects thought of the victim as a friend. She was described to 24 Hour News 8 as "an intelligent young lady who had never been in any trouble."   

Kentwood Police Chief Richard Mattice said the girl was a runaway from Grand Rapids.

Wyoming police were called to Metro Health on Monday evening at about 11 p.m. after the girl was dropped off there. Police said they believe the victim was dropped off at the hospital by the suspects.  

Wyoming police were initally called to Metro to investigate the shooting. That investigation led to a residence in the 5700 block of Ridgebrook SE in Kentwood.  

Wyoming and Kentwood police attempted to contact the people inside the residence, who police said would not respond. Police then obtained a search warrant for the residence at around 1 a.m. 24 Hour News 8 learned the Kentwood Special Response Team approached the house at around 3 a.m.

The three suspects were eventually detained. They are currently in the Kent County jail awaiting arraignment.

Police said they found "a large amount of blood," marijuana, crack cocaine and powder cocaine at the home. The three men were arrested on drug charges.   

There were also three pit bulls in the house, according to police. One of the dogs was killed as officers attempted to control the animals, which a police release described as "aggressive." Animal Control removed the other two dogs.

Police are not yet sure what led up the shooting. Mattice said none of the three suspects was injured.

They have not yet been able to interview the victim, whose testimony could clear up a lot of questions.

Friends and family in the neighborhood tell 24 Hour News 8 the three wouldn't harm the victim because she was a friend. But when 24 Hour News 8 asked how she had been shot, no one had any idea how it could have happened.  

"I honestly can't explain that," said Jones. "It could have happened somewhere else and she came trying to get help and they helped her out."  

Mattice told 24 Hour News 8 they didn't get any reports Monday night of gunshots in that neighborhood.  

The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Detective Bureau at 616.656.6600 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.