$1,000 Reward for Suspect in Taft Shooting

There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect involved in the .

The reward comes courtesy of Crime Stoppers.

The Ferndale Police released a statement Friday afternoon listing the reward and confirming that the victim was a student of Taft, an alternative education facility, and 20 years old.

The incident took place around 2:53 p.m., according to Ferndale Police Lt. Detective William Wilson.

"At this time, it appears that the student was shot by an unknown assailant who was attempting to rob him at gunpoint," Wilson said in the statement. "The victim was leaving the building after school let out. As he exited the building, the robber walked up to him, pointed a semi-auto handgun at his chest, and demanded the victim give him everything he had. The victim pushed the gun away from his chest and he was then shot in the leg. The robber then fled on foot into the neighborhood."

The suspect was described as:

• black male
• 18 to 20 years old
• 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9 in height
• medium build
• clean shaven
• dark knit hat
• dark hooded sweatshirt
• tan (pancake) colored pants

The suspect is armed with a black semi-automatic 9mm pistol, Wilson said.

"Police searched the neighborhood, but did not find the shooter," he said. "In neighborhood yards, police did recover a sweatshirt and a bullet casing believed to have been discarded by the suspect."

Wilson said the victim underwent surgery and is still hospitalized.

Anybody with information should contact the Ferndale Police Department at 248-541-3650 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800 SPEAK UP (800-773-2587) for a $1000 reward for information leading to an arrest.