A 21-year-old West Bloomfield man is facing a slate of serious charges after last Sunday's shooting at an Exxon gas station in Southfield that left one person with non-fatal gunshot injuries. Oakland County prosecutors have accused him of assault with intent to commit murder and multiple weapons offenses, as investigators work to sort out what exactly led up to the gunfire.
According to MLive, the shooting took place last Sunday at the Exxon station in Southfield. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has charged the 21-year-old with assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon, and a judge set bond at $250,000. Officials said the victim was taken to a Southfield hospital for treatment and was expected to survive.
Prosecutor's statement
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald used the case to make a blunt point about guns and conflict. “Guns are not an acceptable way to solve problems,” she said in a statement to MLive. McDonald said her office worked with Southfield police as detectives developed the case. Prosecutors have held back on discussing a possible motive while the investigation continues.
What the charges carry
Under Michigan law, assault with intent to commit murder is a felony that can be punished by imprisonment for life or any number of years. The felony-firearm statute requires a mandatory two-year prison term that must be served consecutively to any other sentence. Carrying a concealed weapon is also a felony and can bring up to five years in prison and a fine. Those penalties are outlined in the Michigan Penal Code, per the Michigan Legislature.
Local context
Gas-station shootings have been a recurring concern in Southfield and the rest of Oakland County this year. Prosecutors earlier charged three men in a rival-gang shootout at a Southfield gas station that wounded two bystanders. That case drew a multi-agency investigation and underscored how quickly disputes at fueling stations can spill over and put the public at risk.
The current charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. More details are likely to surface as the case moves through Oakland County court proceedings.
