Judge doesn't want his shooting to define Detroit

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge who was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery at his home in Detroit says people shouldn’t equate the city with crime.

Detroit police continue their effort to find two young men who accosted U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg on March 5 on the front porch of his home.

“Violence does not define Detroit,” Berg, 55, told the Detroit Free Press from his home last Friday. “These acts of violence happen way too often and they happen to many other people, but they don’t really represent the kind of community that we’ve experienced here. The experience here has been so positive and loving. You can’t take one incident and then try to think that kind of negative thing represents the city.”

Berg and his wife have lived in Detroit for 26 years and have a home in the University-Golf Course district on the city’s northwest side. He uses crutches as he continues to recover from surgery but plans to participate in a walk on Good Friday to make the case for peace and solidarity.

The Walk for Hope is a project of Berg and several people from the Gesu Catholic Parish where he is a member helped spearhead. The parish wanted to do something in response to what happened to Berg.

“We wanted to see if we can initially do something that is simple and prayerful but is a response to what happened to him, but also a response to violence in general that sort of drags our city down,” said Parish council President Jim Sweeney.

Several weeks after the shooting, Berg said the main thing he feels is appreciation.

“I feel very grateful that it turned out the way it did, that no one was hurt that seriously. I’m grateful for the police department,” he said.

The FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are offering $35,000 for information leading to solving the case.

President Barack Obama appointed Berg in 2012. Before that, Berg served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.