Sonja Bruner, 58, of Inkster, Michigan, was killed and two bystanders were wounded in a shooting outside a TGI Fridays on Evergreen Road in Southfield early Saturday morning. Police say Bruner and a 35-year-old Southfield man, both concealed pistol license holders, pulled firearms on each other during a verbal altercation in the parking lot before opening fire. The man has been taken into custody.
A night out ended in tragedy in Southfield, Michigan, after a parking lot argument outside a TGI Fridays escalated into gunfire, leaving one woman dead and two bystanders injured.
What Happened
Southfield police responded to the restaurant, located in the 26000 block of Evergreen Road, around 11:25 p.m. Friday night. Officers arrived to find 58-year-old Sonja Bruner of Inkster suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Officers also found a second victim, a 54-year-old man from Detroit, who had been shot in the abdomen. He was hospitalized and, as of Saturday morning, was listed in serious but stable condition.
A third victim, a 42-year-old woman from Evans, Georgia, was shot in the upper left shoulder and bicep. She was taken to the hospital by friends and was listed in stable condition as of Saturday morning.
Police say the Detroit man and the Georgia woman were bystanders who were not involved in the underlying dispute that led to the shooting.
How the Shooting Unfolded
According to investigators, Bruner and a 35-year-old Southfield man became involved in a verbal altercation in the restaurant’s parking lot. Police say both individuals were valid concealed pistol license holders, and that they pulled firearms on each other during the confrontation before shots were fired.
The 35-year-old man has been taken into custody as the suspected shooter. Investigators say they are continuing to review evidence, including social media video of the incident that circulated widely online and has become part of the Southfield Police Department’s investigation.
An Unverified Account Circulating Online
Alongside the video, an unverified account attributed to someone claiming to have witnessed the incident has also spread on social media. The post claims Bruner had been driving under the influence and hitting bicycles in the area before the confrontation, and alleges she threatened to kill the other people involved and drew her weapon first.
It’s important to note that none of these specific claims have been confirmed by Southfield police, and this report treats them as unverified social media commentary rather than established fact. Police have only confirmed that both parties pulled firearms during a verbal altercation — they have not publicly detailed who fired first or what specifically triggered the dispute.
Investigation Ongoing
Southfield police are asking anyone with information about the incident — anything they may have seen or heard — to come forward. The investigation remains active as authorities continue reviewing evidence, including the circulating video footage.
