A dispute between two customers at a Spirit Halloween store in Michigan escalated into gunfire during a last-minute rush for Halloween decorations, leaving one man dead.
The 21-year-old Detroit man was shot multiple times at the Madison Heights store, near Detroit, at approximately 2:04 p.m. on October 30.
Spirit Halloween is a familiar part of the Halloween season in the United States, opening temporary stores in vacant retail spaces across the country each fall.
According to the Madison Heights Police Department, the victim had been arguing with another 21-year-old man from Oak Park, whom he knew, before the shooting began.
Officers arriving at the scene found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. They provided first aid until emergency medical crews reached the store.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Police said they identified a “person of interest” and recovered a 9mm handgun that may have been used in the shooting.
The person of interest, a 21-year-old Oak Park man, had also been injured after several bystanders assaulted him before police took him into custody.
The suspected shooter was transported to another local hospital and remains under medical care.
A shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Madison Heights, Michigan, left a 21-year-old man dead after he was struck by multiple bullets at about 2:04 p.m. on October 30
The Madison Heights Police Department said the Detroit resident was arguing with a 21-year-old man from Oak Park whom he knew before the shooting. Source: Facebook/@Madison Heights Police Department
Officers responding to the 32000 block of John R Road (pictured) found the 21-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds and administered first aid until paramedics arrived
“While the investigation remains ongoing and detectives continue to gather additional details, it appears the two individuals were acquainted. Based on the information available at this time, investigators do not believe this was a random act of violence, and residents can be assured that there is no known ongoing threat to public safety,” the Madison Heights Police Department said Friday.
Investigators have submitted their findings to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office as they seek a decision on potential criminal charges.
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Alana, the wife of the suspected shooter, told WDIV that her husband holds a Concealed Pistol License and fired the weapon in self-defense.
Alana said she was leaving the Spirit Halloween store with the couple’s three children when a man known to her husband confronted them. She said the man reached toward his pockets, although they did not know whether he had a gun.
“He sees us and recognizes us and tells my husband, ‘What’s up?’ And my husband’s like, ‘No, not right here,’ as he’s still walking out. He’s like, ‘No….what’s up?’ And went in his pocket, and my husband drew his gun and was shaking while he was trying his gun, and he shot,” Alana told the outlet.
“If he didn’t have that gun, and we walked out here and all those people would’ve jumped on him, would I be at the hospital right now praying over my husband? He defended me, himself, and his kids,” she said.
Mikea Wilson, who witnessed the shooting, described the confrontation to WDIV.
“It was the first pop; you would think it was like a loud balloon. We got to looking at each other, and then it was like pop, pop, pop; probably about five more shots came after that. So everybody scattered after that,” Wilson told the outlet.
During the incident, Madison Heights police urged residents to avoid the area and follow all instructions from law enforcement. Source: Facebook/@Madison Heights Police Department
“I thought it was going to be like a Halloween massacre. I don’t know what’s going on. I thought somebody was running around shooting random people, honestly,” another witness told the outlet.
Madison Heights police asked residents to stay away from the area and follow instructions from law enforcement while the incident was being investigated.
Authorities said there was no immediate threat to the wider public.
“We want people to use the gun safety that they’ve been taught as much as possible. We’re still determining if this person was legally allowed to carry the gun, whether they had any firearms training,” Police Chief Lemerise told CBS Detroit.
“In situations like this, we want to make sure that people are using the most precaution they can.”
Our News Outlet has contacted the Madison Heights Police Department and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for comment and additional information as the investigation continues.
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