A desperate drive to a Detroit fire station ended in tragedy, and prosecutors now say they have the man responsible.
Authorities say a Detroit resident, identified in court records as Mark Malec, was arrested earlier this month and remains behind bars in connection with the fatal shooting.
Court records show Malec was arraigned on Sunday on second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and two counts of felony firearm. A judge denied bond, according to CBS News Detroit. The records list a probable-cause conference for next Monday and a preliminary examination for July 27.
The case surfaces as Detroit officials try to keep recent gains against gun violence from slipping and continue to improve homicide clearance rates. City leaders and police have leaned on data tools, crime-gun intelligence and community prosecution to push down shootings and close more cases. A report from the Center for American Progress highlights Detroit among the cities using coordinated strategies to drive those improvements.
According to the Detroit Police Department, officers were called on June 29 to the 30 block of W. Seven Mile Road after a man drove himself to a Detroit Fire Department station, leaned on the horn for help, and told firefighters he had been shot. Police say he then lost consciousness. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.
Investigators say surveillance video captured a verbal altercation before a single shot was fired. Officers canvassed the area of Lumpkin and E. McNichols, located witnesses, and ultimately arrested Malec last Thursday, according to CBS News Detroit.
Legal Implications
Malec is charged with second-degree murder, which Michigan law treats as punishable "by imprisonment in the state prison for life, or any term of years." Recent appellate opinions discussing Michigan Compiled Laws 750.317 spell out that wide sentencing range, including those collected by Justia.
The two felony-firearm counts carry mandatory prison time that must run consecutively to any underlying sentence. A first felony-firearm conviction typically brings a two-year term that is served before any other punishment, and a conviction for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person can carry up to five years. Opinions compiled on Justia and guidance from the Michigan State Police outline how those gun statutes are typically applied and stacked with more serious charges.
Malec remains in custody as the case moves through preliminary hearings. Police say witnesses and surveillance video helped them make the arrest. Anyone with information about the June 29 shooting is urged to contact the Detroit Police Department.
