A man walked into Brownstown Liquor, pointed a gun at the clerk behind the counter, and demanded money before fleeing — and now Brownstown Township police want the public's help tracking him down. The suspect remains at large as detectives work to identify him.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, the man entered the store, pointed the weapon at the clerk, and demanded cash before leaving the scene. Brownstown Township Police have asked anyone with information to contact Detective Attard directly at 734-675-1300 ext. 1118, an appeal the department shared on its official channels shortly after the robbery, per the Brownstown Twp Police Facebook page.
A nearby business shared information about the robbery. Operators at Easy Pick Mini Mart Liquor Store, a Wayne County retailer, circulated the suspect's surveillance imagery on social media to assist investigators and warn fellow clerks, according to a post from Easy Pick Mini Mart Liquor Store on Facebook. That kind of merchant-to-merchant alert is common after armed robberies at retail counters, where owners and employees often rely on each other to spot repeat offenders before police can make an arrest.
What the Suspect Could Face Under Michigan Law
If caught and convicted, the suspect would face serious legal exposure. Under Section 750.529 of the Michigan Penal Code, armed robbery is classified as a felony punishable by life imprisonment or any term of years, according to the Michigan Legislature.
Michigan's Self-Defense Act of 2006, codified at MCL 780.972, gives business clerks and employees no legal duty to retreat and permits the use of deadly force if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, a standard Hoodline has previously detailed in an Ann Arbor case involving a coin shop clerk confronted by an armed intruder.
Brownstown Township
The robbery took place in Brownstown Township.
The U.S. Census Bureau put Brownstown's 2020 population at 33,194.
Part of a Broader Pattern in Wayne County
The Brownstown case arrives amid heightened scrutiny of commercial armed robberies across the region. Federal and local authorities arrested two men in late September after an armed robbery at a Wingstop in nearby Canton Township, resulting in federal Hobbs Act robbery charges, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. That case involved federal and local authorities.
For now, investigators are focused on identifying the liquor store suspect and are asking the public for tips.
