The 27-year-old man arrested by
Wayne police following a shooting Nov.
14 on John R. Street has been arraigned
on multiple charges including
manslaughter.
Tyler Lyndell Lankford, 24, of
Westland, was arrested by Wayne police
later in the day of the incident. He was
arraigned in 29th District Court Nov. 18
and orderedheldwithout bond.
He faces charges including homicide-
manslaughter-statutory short form, homi-
cide-manslaughter-death by weapon
aimed with intent but without malice,
weapons-firearms-possession by felon
and felony firearm. He was also charged
as a habitual offender-second offense.
According to state records, Lankford
served two years in prison on a danger-
ous weapons charge stemming from an
October 2013 incident. He was released
from prison, state records show, in
September 2015.
The latest charges resulted when
Wayne police were dispatched to a resi-
dence in the 35000 block of JohnR. in the
early-morning hours of Nov. 14 where
officers discovered the body of a male
victim, dead froma gunshot wound.
Lankford was arrested by Wayne offi-
cers later the same day.
Lankford is due back in court for a
preliminary court examination on the
chargesDec. 6.
The City of Wayne official Christmas
Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place
from 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at the
Wayne Historical Museum. Visits with
Santawill be available.
Volunteers are needed to help wel-
come guests and act as Santa's helpers.
Volunteerswill also read short holiday sto-
ries to children visiting themuseum.
The Museum Store is now open from
10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Wednesdays and from
10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Thursdays.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
December 1, 2016
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Westland police add, promote officers
Ryan Damico
Curtis Johns
Jacob Broda
Robert Fruit
Stephen Vidaurri
Three new officers have offi-
cially joined the Westland Police
Department and two veterans of
the force have been promoted to
the rank of sergeant.
The officers took their oaths of
office last month during cere-
monies at city hall.
“Recently, sergeants Jeffery
Kavanaugh
and
Harlan
Epperson both retired from the
Westland Police Department,”
commented Westland Police
Chief Jeff Jedrusik. “Both men
served our community with hon-
orable police careers. With their
retirements, we welcome three
new police officers and the pro-
motion of two veteran officers to
the rank of sergeant.”
RyanDamico is one of the new
officers. He is a Westland resi-
dent and formerly served as a
Westland Police Explorer. He
graduated with an associate's
degree in Criminal Justice from
Schoolcraft College and graduat-
ed from the Wayne County
Regional Police Academy in 2013.
He also served three years with
the Romulus Police Department
as an officer prior to accepting
the position with the Westland
PoliceDepartment.
Curtis Johns is aNewport resi-
dent and attended the Detroit
Police Academy and served the
City of Detroit for two years. He
left the Detroit Police
Department to serve on the Flat
Rock Police Department for 13
years. Johns has received spe-
cialized training in accident
investigation and is a trained evi-
dence technician.
Jacob Broda is a Livonia resi-
dent and has served as a
Westland Service Aide for 2.5
years. Broda is the first Public
Service Aide to successfully test
and promote through the pro-
gram into an officer position. He
graduated with an associate's
degree from Schoolcraft College
in 2015 and from the Wayne
County Regional Academy last
month.
The two veteran officers to
receive promotions to the rank of
sergeant are Robert Fruit and
StephenVidaurri.
Fruit started his law enforce-
ment career with the Highland
Park Police Department where
he served for five years, before
joining the Westland force where
he has served for 16 years. Fruit
has worked assignments in the
Westland Police Community
PoliceUnit, Alcohol Enforcement
Bureau and the Traffic Bureau.
Fruit holds certifications as a
Drug Recognition Expert, is a
Standardized Field Sobriety
Training Instructor and is a certi-
fied Accident Re-constructionist.
He has received two distin-
guished awards from Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
and two life-saving awards.
Vidaurri began his career in
law enforcement with the Detroit
Police Department for 2.5 years,
after which he moved to
Westlandwhere he has served for
19 years. He has a Bachelor's
degree for Olivet College.
Vidaurri was a 13-year member
of the Westland Tactical
Response Unit (SWAT), a motor-
cycle officer, a field training offi-
cer, a member of the Honor
Guard and was assigned to the
Westland Special Investigations
Unit and served as a Firearms
Instructor.
“I am proud to welcome these
new, highly qualified individuals
to Westland. Our community
looks forward to their service and
dedication to the residents.,”
commented Mayor William Wild.
“I wish Sgt. Fruit and Sgt.
Vidaurri the best of luck in their
newpositions.”
Suspect arraigned in Wayne shooting death
Wayne to light tree
